ANGPTL3 levels in HDL were found to be positively associated with the percentage of cholesterol efflux in non-diabetic subjects (r = 0.4102, P = 0.0117, N = 37) (Fig. 1E), but not in T2DM patients (r = − 0.1725, P = 0.3224, N = 35) (Fig. 1F). The gene discussed is ANGPTL3; the disease is type 2 diabetes mellitus.