Genetic Associations of Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1-Related miRNA Variants with Coronary Artery Disease.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the most common types of cardiovascular disease and can lead to a heart attack as plaque gradually builds up inside the coronary arteries, blocking blood flow. Previous studies have shown that polymorphisms in the gene are associated with CAD; however, studies of the 3'-untranslated region, containing a miRNA binding site, and the miRNAs that interact with it, are insufficient. To investigate the association between miRNA polymorphisms and CAD in the Korean population based on post-transcriptional regulation, we genotyped five polymorphisms in four miRNAs targeting the 3'-untranslated region of using real-time PCR and TaqMan assays. We found that the mutant genotype of rs928508 A > G was strongly associated with increased CAD susceptibility. In a genotype combination analysis, the combination of the homozygous mutant genotype (GG) of rs928508 with the wild-type genotype (GG) of rs41291957 resulted in increased risk for CAD. Also, in an allele combination analysis, the combination of the mutant allele (G) of rs928508 and the wild-type allele (G) of rs41291957 resulted in increased risk for CAD. Furthermore, metabolic syndrome and diabetes mellitus showed synergistic effects on CAD risk when combined with rs928508. These results can be applied to identify CAD prognostic biomarkers among miRNA polymorphisms and various clinical factors.