Association between 1019C/T polymorphism in the connexin 37 gene and dilated cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND

The aim of this paper was to investigate the association between the connexin 37 (CX37) 1019C/T polymorphism and susceptibility to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

METHODS

Han Chinese diagnosed with DCM between 2005 and 2013 were studied, and they were compared with a control group of 816 persons without DCM from a patient cohort from the Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, China. A total of 873 patients with DCM were included. All study and control cases were genotyped by DNA sequencing.

RESULTS

Polymorphism C1019T on the Connexin37 gene (CX37) was found in the whole population. The distribution of three genotype frequencies in both groups was in accordance with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The frequency of the CX37 C allele was higher in DCM patients (57.33% vs. 42.03%, P<0.01) compared to the control group. The frequency of C carriers (CC+TC) was 80.41% in DCM patients, compared to 66.7% in controls (P<0.01). DCM risk was significantly increased in carriers of the C allele (CC+TC) than in TT homozygotes (odds ratio [OR]=2.05, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.65-2.56). Subsequent stratified analyses demonstrate that a significant difference exists in the frequency of C carriers between male DCM patients and controls (77.61% vs. 69.04%, P<0.01) and in female DCM patients and controls (85.62 % vs. 62.19%, P<0.01). Carriers of the C allele had higher DCM risk compared with TT homozygotes with sex differences (male: OR=1.64, 95% CI: 1.39-1.95; female: OR=2.32, 95% CI: 1.84-2.94).

CONCLUSIONS

The C allele in the CX37 gene might be associated with susceptibility to DCM in Chinese Han. Female carriers of the C allele had higher DCM risk compared with TT homozygotes than males.