Chiang ZC, Huang X. Genetic insights into coronary heart disease in the Teochew population: Bridging gaps in precision medicine. World J Cardiol 2026; 18(1): 113579 [DOI: 10.4330/wjc.v18.i1.113579]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Xi Huang, Chief Physician, Department of Cardiology, The Third Affiliated People's Hospital of Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 363 Guobing Avenue, Fuzhou 350000, Fujian Province, China. huangxi@fjtcm.edu.cn
Research Domain of This Article
Genetics & Heredity
Article-Type of This Article
Editorial
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Cardiol. Jan 26, 2026; 18(1): 113579 Published online Jan 26, 2026. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v18.i1.113579
Genetic insights into coronary heart disease in the Teochew population: Bridging gaps in precision medicine
Zu-Chian Chiang, Xi Huang
Zu-Chian Chiang, Biomedical Research Center of South China, Fujian Key Laboratory of Innate Immune Biology, College of Life Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, Fujian Province, China
Xi Huang, Department of Cardiology, The Third Affiliated People's Hospital of Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350000, Fujian Province, China
Author contributions: Chiang ZC conceived the study, drafted, reviewed, and edited the initial manuscript, revised the manuscript, and provided resources and proofreading; Huang X drafted the initial manuscript, revised the manuscript, and provided resources.
Supported by Fujian Province Science and Technology Innovation Joint Fund Project Plan, No. 2024Y9530.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Xi Huang, Chief Physician, Department of Cardiology, The Third Affiliated People's Hospital of Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 363 Guobing Avenue, Fuzhou 350000, Fujian Province, China. huangxi@fjtcm.edu.cn
Received: August 29, 2025 Revised: October 1, 2025 Accepted: December 25, 2025 Published online: January 26, 2026 Processing time: 139 Days and 15.3 Hours
Abstract
This editorial highlights the study by Xu et al on genetic polymorphisms linked to coronary heart disease (CHD) in the Teochew population. This study adjusted odds ratios for confounding factors including age, sex, hypertension, and diabetes. It identifies the apolipoprotein E ε2 allele and higher lipoprotein (a) kringle IV-2 (KIV-2) copy number as protective factors against CHD. The ε2 allele was found at a lower frequency in CHD patients (8.02%) compared to controls (13.29%), and each additional KIV-2 copy reduced CHD risk by approximately 5% (odds ratio = 0.949). Conversely, solute carrier organic anion transporter family member 1B1 polymorphisms showed no significant link to CHD. These findings underscore the importance of population-specific research, particularly for the Teochew population, where CHD is prevalent. They provide a foundation for precision risk stratification and targeted interventions, including lipoprotein (a)-lowering therapies for those with lower KIV-2 copy numbers. Despite limitations, the study emphasizes the need for further research incorporating multi-omics data and lifestyle factors to enhance personalized CHD prevention, moving away from "one-size-fits-all" approaches. This research is essential for leveraging genetic insights into global CHD prevention.
Core Tip: This editorial emphasizes that APOE ε2 and higher LPA KIV-2 copy number are associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease in the Teochew population, highlighting the value of population-specific genetic studies for tailored cardiovascular care.
