CETP rs5882 and Your Cholesterol: What It Means For You
Updated: Oct 1
The CETP rs5882 variant, also called Ile405Val (I405V), is a common genetic difference in the CETP gene. It has been studied because the Val405 form is associated in some groups with lower average CETP activity and higher HDL cholesterol. Those population findings do not tell you your current cholesterol levels or determine your cardiovascular risk [R, R].
GenesUnveiled includes CETP rs5882 in its lipid-related genetic insights when the marker is present and readable in your raw DNA file. The result describes research about an inherited variant; it does not measure cholesterol in your blood [R].
What Is CETP?
CETP stands for cholesteryl ester transfer protein. It helps exchange cholesteryl esters from HDL particles with triglycerides in other lipoproteins, including LDL and VLDL. This is lipid transfer between particles; the variant does not measure how much cholesterol your body clears [R].
What Is CETP rs5882?
Rs5882 is a missense variant commonly called Ile405Val because it changes the amino acid at position 405 in one CETP protein-numbering convention. In forward-strand notation, the common rs5882 change is G>A: G corresponds to Val405, while A corresponds to Ile405 [R, R].
Forward-strand genotype | What the genotype means |
AA | Two Ile405 copies |
AG | One Ile405 copy and one Val405 copy |
GG | Two Val405 copies |
These genotype labels describe the variant, not a measured CETP level or lipid result. Raw DNA providers may display strand orientation differently; GenesUnveiled reports use forward-strand alleles.
What Research Suggests About rs5882
In a study of 822 young men from 11 European countries, the 405Val allele was associated with about 7% lower average CETP activity. Participants with two Val405 copies had the highest average HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein A-I in that study; the HDL difference was modest [R].
Research question | What the evidence suggests | What it does not establish |
CETP activity | The Val405 allele was associated with lower average activity in one European study [R]. | Your genotype does not measure your current CETP activity. |
HDL cholesterol | It does not guarantee that your HDL-C is high or that higher HDL-C means lower personal risk. | |
Coronary artery disease | A 2023 meta-analysis did not find a statistically significant association between rs5882 and coronary artery disease under the genetic models it tested [R]. | The variant should not be described as protective or used to predict an individual’s heart-disease risk. |
What CETP rs5882 Means for You
If your result includes a G allele (Val405), research suggests it may be associated with a modest difference in average CETP activity and HDL-C. The size and relevance of these associations vary, and they do not translate into a personal cholesterol measurement or a reliable prediction of cardiovascular health.
The rs5882 result cannot tell you your HDL-C, LDL-C, triglycerides, ApoB, or whether you need treatment. It also cannot predict exactly how your cholesterol will respond to diet or exercise. Studies of CETP gene–diet interactions have reported varied results across populations, so a single genotype is not a personalized nutrition plan [R].
A blood lipid panel and your overall medical history provide information that a consumer DNA result cannot. If you have questions about your cholesterol or cardiovascular risk, discuss your test results with a healthcare professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does CETP rs5882 determine my cholesterol level?
No. It is associated with average differences in some study groups, but it cannot show your current HDL, LDL, or triglyceride levels. Those require appropriate blood tests.
Does the G allele mean lower heart-disease risk?
Not by itself. Although some studies link the Val405 form with lower average CETP activity and higher HDL-C, a 2023 meta-analysis did not find a significant rs5882 association with coronary artery disease [R].
Can I find rs5882 in my raw DNA file?
It depends on the testing provider and chip version. GenesUnveiled only displays a result when the required marker is present and readable in the selected file; missing or uncallable genotypes are not inferred [R].
Explore Your CETP rs5882 Result
GenesUnveiled interprets CETP rs5882 as part of its lipid-related genetic insights when the marker is available in your file. The report provides context about the research; it is not a cholesterol test, diagnosis, or substitute for clinical assessment.
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