E-selectin gene haplotypes are associated with the risk of myocardial infarction.

INTRODUCTION

Endothelial dysfunction is one of the most important factors implicated in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of this study was to investigate the association of the E-selectin gene () with CAD and CAD-related traits using tagging polymorphisms.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 379 Polish patients who had undergone angiography were included: 261 patients with angiographically documented CAD, 202 CAD patients without myocardial infarction (CAD/MI(-) group) and 59 patients with myocardial infarction (CAD/MI(+) group) as well as 118 healthy control subjects (non-CAD). Eight tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the gene were selected using genotype data from HapMap. Genotyping was performed using PCR-RFLP and PCR-DHPLC methods.

RESULTS

The most common haplotype in this analysis ([C;G;T;C;G;T], 31.2%) showed a negative association with myocardial infarction (MI) (CAD/MI(+) vs. non-CAD) under the additive ( = 0.001), dominant ( = 0.006) and recessive ( = 0.012) model. Two other haplotypes ([C;G;C;C;A;C], [C;A;C;A;G;T], 5.73% and 18.1%, respectively) were also negatively associated with MI under the additive and dominant model. We also found two haplotypes ([T;G;T;C;G;T], [C;G;C;C;A;T], 1.52% and 6.71%, respectively) associated with the risk for MI (CAD/MI(+) vs. CAD/MI(-)), acting in both additive ( = 0.04, = 0.007, respectively) and dominant ( = 0.04, = 0.004, respectively) manner. There was no association with either CAD/MI(-) or with severity of CAD expressed as the number of vessels involved.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that is one of the independent genetic factors modifying the risk of myocardial infarction.