It is suggested that the increased pool of triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins (mainly VLDL1), observed in type 2 diabetes, promotes CETP-mediated triacylglycerol enrichment of HDL particles and, as a consequence, enhances HDL catabolism, since HDL-rich particles are very good substrates for hepatic lipase. This evidence concerns the gene CETP and type 2 diabetes mellitus.