Pharmacogenomics of Statin Responsiveness

Statins are widely prescribed and are established as first-line therapy for the primary and secondary prevention of coronary artery disease. However, the benefit of treatment varies between patients. Genetic variation can contribute to interindividual variations in clinical efficacy of drug therapy, and significant progress has been made in identifying common genetic polymorphisms that influence responsiveness to statin therapy. To date, >30 candidate genes related to pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of statins have been investigated as potential determinants of drug responsiveness in terms of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol lowering. Genetic variation at gene loci that affect intestinal cholesterol absorption include apolipoprotein (apo) E; adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette transporter G5 and G8; cholesterol production, such as 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase; and lipoprotein catabolism, such as apoB and the low-density lipoprotein receptor, all may play a role in modulating responsivesness as well genes involved in metabolism of statins such as cytochrome P450. However, there is considerable variation in results reported, and the data suggest that combined analysis of multiple genetic variants in several genes, all of which have possible functional significance, is more likely to give significant results than single gene studies in small sample populations. In the future, pharmacogenomic studies with a greater number of participants (>2,000 participants) should provide a better picture as to who is most likely and who is least likely to benefit from statin therapy.