LIPOPROTEIN LIPASE AND ITS EFFECT ON STATIN TREATMENTS

1 . A method for evaluating the prognosis of vascular grafts in an individual undergoing statin treatment, comprising:

obtaining a DNA sample from the individual; and

analyzing the DNA sample for at least one haplotype of a human gene coding lipoprotein lipase (“LPL”), the at least one haplotype selected from the group consisting of haplotype 1, haplotype 6, haplotype 7, haplotype 8, haplotype 2 and haplotype 4,

wherein the presence of haplotype 1, haplotype 6, haplotype 7, and/or haplotype 8 is indicative of a favorable prognosis, and

wherein the presence of haplotype 2 and/or haplotype 4 is indicative of an unfavorable prognosis.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one haplotype comprises SEQ. ID. NO.: 1, SEQ. ID. NO.: 2, SEQ. ID. NO.: 3, SEQ. ID. NO.: 4, SEQ. ID. NO.: 5, SEQ. ID. NO.: 6, SEQ. ID. NO.: 7, SEQ. ID. NO.: 8, SEQ. ID. NO.: 9, SEQ. ID. NO.: 10, SEQ. ID. NO.: 11, and/or SEQ. ID. NO.: 12.

3 . A method of determining the prognosis of atherosclerosis in coronary grafts in an individual undergoing statin treatment, comprising:

determining the presence or absence one or more haplotype at the lipoprotein lipase (“LPL”) locus selected from the group consisting of haplotype 1, haplotype 6, haplotype 7, and haplotype 8;

determining an increase or decrease in lipid level by comparing a baseline measurement with a follow-up measurement; and

prognosing an uncomplicated case of atherosclerosis in coronary grafts if the individual undergoing statin treatment demonstrates the presence of one of the one or more haplotype at the LPL locus and/or an increase in lipid level.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the lipid level comprises HDL-cholesterol.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the statin is lovastatin.

6 . A method of determining the prognosis of atherosclerosis in an individual undergoing statin treatment, comprising:

determining the presence or absence of one or more haplotypes at the lipoprotein lipase (“LPL”) locus selected from the group consisting of haplotype 2 and haplotype 4;

determining an increase or decrease in lipid response to statin treatment by comparing a baseline measurement with a follow-up measurement; and

prognosing a complicated case of atherosclerosis if the individual undergoing statin treatment demonstrates the presence of one of the one or more haplotypes at the LPL locus and/or a decrease in lipid response to statin treatment.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the lipid comprises triglyceride.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the lipid comprises HDL-cholesterol.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the one or more haplotypes at the LPL locus comprise one or more variant alleles selected from SEQ. ID. NO.: 1, SEQ. ID. NO.: 2, SEQ. ID. NO.: 3, SEQ. ID. NO.: 4, SEQ. ID. NO.: 5, SEQ. ID. NO.: 6, SEQ. ID. NO.: 7, SEQ. ID. NO.: 8, SEQ. ID. NO.: 9, SEQ. ID. NO.: 10, SEQ. ID. NO.: 11, and SEQ. ID. NO.: 12.

10 . A method of treating atherosclerosis in an individual, comprising:

determining the presence of at least one haplotype at the lipoprotein lipase locus selected from the group consisting of haplotype 2 and haplotype 4; and

treating the atherosclerosis in the individual.

11 . A method of diagnosing susceptibility to vascular graft occlusion in an individual, comprising:

determining the presence or absence of haplotype 2 at the lipoprotein lipase locus and/or haplotype 4 at the lipoprotein lipase locus; and

diagnosing susceptibility to vascular graft occlusion based upon the presence of haplotype 2 at the lipoprotein lipase locus and/or haplotype 4 at the lipoprotein lipase locus.

12 . A method of diagnosing a low probability of vascular graft occlusion in an individual, comprising:

determining the presence or absence of haplotype 1 at the lipoprotein lipase locus; and

diagnosing a low probability of vascular graft occlusion based upon the presence of haplotype 1.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein haplotype 1 comprises one or more variant alleles selected from SEQ. ID. NO.: 1, SEQ. ID. NO.: 2, SEQ. ID. NO.: 3, SEQ. ID. NO.: 4, SEQ. ID. NO.: 5, SEQ. ID. NO.: 6, SEQ. ID. NO.: 7, SEQ. ID. NO.: 8, SEQ. ID. NO.: 9, SEQ. ID. NO.: 10, SEQ. ID. NO.: 11, and SEQ. ID. NO.: 12.