Pathological Implications of Receptor for Advanced Glycation End-Product () Gene Polymorphism.

The receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) is a cell surface transmembrane multiligand receptor, encoded by the gene. RAGE presents many transcripts, is expressed mainly in the lung, and involves multiple pathways (such as NFB, Akt, p38, and MAP kinases) that initiate and perpetuate an unfavorable proinflammatory state. Due to these numerous functional activities, RAGE is implicated in multiple diseases. is a highly polymorphic gene, with polymorphisms or SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism) that could be responsible or co-responsible for disease development. This review was designed to shed light on the pathological implications of polymorphisms. Five polymorphisms are described: rs2070600, rs1800624, rs1800625, rs184003, and a 63 bp deletion. The rs2070600 SNP may be associated with the development of human autoimmune disease, diabetes complications, cancer, and lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and acute respiratory distress syndrome. The rs1800624 SNP involves gene regulation and may be related to reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, Crohn's disease, and type 1 diabetes complications. The rs1800625 SNP may be associated with the development of diabetic retinopathy, cancer, and lupus but may be protective against cardiovascular risk. The rs184003 SNP seems related to coronary artery disease, breast cancer, and diabetes. The 63 bp deletion may be associated with reduced survival from heart diseases during diabetic nephropathy. Here, these potential associations between polymorphisms and the development of diseases are discussed, as there have been conflicting findings on the pathological impact of SNPs in the literature. These contradictory results might be explained by distinct SNP frequencies depending on ethnicity.