Objective: To investigate the effect of -191G/C single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the promoter region of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1(ABCA1) gene on plasma lipids and its significance in coronary artery disease (CAD).
Methods: By polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), -191G/C SNP in the promoter region of ABCA1 gene was analyzed in 204 patients with CAD and 114 control subjects and the distribution of the -191G/C genotypes compared between the two groups and also between different clinical phenotypes of CAD. The clinical indexes associated with CAD were also compared between the patients with the three genotypes of CAD.
Results: The frequency distribution of GG, GC, and CC genotypes significantly differed between CAD group and the control group, and the former group had obvious higher CC genotype frequency and the C allele frequency (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). In CAD patients, the frequency distribution of GG, GC, and CC genotypes varied significantly between those with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and those with stable angina pectoris (SAP). The CC genotype showed obviously higher frequency in ACS group than in SAP group and the C allele was more frequent in the former group (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). However, no significant difference was noted in the body mass index, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, or very low-density lipoprotein cholesterols between the three genotypes.
Conclusions: The -191G/C SNP in the promoter region of ABCA1 is associated with increased CAD and the C allele may relate to the stability of CAD without detectable changes in plasma lipids.