Association of variants in KCNK17 gene with ischemic stroke and cerebral hemorrhage in a Chinese population.

BACKGROUND

KCNK17 (potassium channel, subfamily K, member17) has a role in the pathogenesis of stroke. We reported previously that rs10947803 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in KCNK17 is associated with cerebral hemorrhage in a Chinese population. The aim of the present study was to examine other SNPs in the KCNK17 gene that are associated with cerebral hemorrhage and other subtypes of stroke in the Chinese population.

METHODS

A total of 1356 subjects with stroke and 1225 control patients were examined by a case-control methodology. The SNPs (rs12214600, rs12195376, rs2758912, and rs10807204) in KCNK17 gene were genotyped with the TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction assay.

RESULTS

rs12214600 SNP in KCNK17 was significantly associated with cerebral hemorrhage (unadjusted odds ratio = .55, 95% confidence interval = .35-.86, P = .008, q = .0328) under the allele model. After adjusting for age, sex, and hypertension, we found that the association remained significant (odds ratio = .56, 95% confidence interval = .35-.90, P = .0158). There was no association detected for other SNPs in KCNK17 with cerebral hemorrhage, and none of the SNPs in KCNK17 had an association with ischemic stroke.

CONCLUSIONS

The T carrier of an SNP (rs12214600) is associated with reduced risk of cerebral hemorrhage in the Chinese population, together with previous findings that SNPs rs10947803 and rs12214600 in the KCNK17 gene are associated with hemorrhagic stroke, but none of the SNPs tested had an association with ischemic stroke. KCNK17 may be important in the pathogenesis of cerebral hemorrhage.