Endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene polymorphisms (894G > T and -786T > C) and risk of coronary artery disease in a Saudi population

Background and aims: Endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene polymorphisms, either independently or through gene environmental interactions, are associated with cardiovascular diseases in multiple ethnic populations. However, no information is available with regard to such associations in a Saudi population despite a high incidence of cardiovascular abnormalities. We studied the associations of 894G>T and -786T>C polymorphisms of endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene with coronary artery disease in Saudi population.

Methods: Variants 894G>T and -786T>C were studied in 142 coronary artery disease patients and 145 normal controls by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and allele specific PCR, respectively.

Results: Carriers of GT and TT genotypes of 894G>T polymorphism were significantly high (p <0.0001) in patients (47.2 and 7%, respectively) than in controls (27.6 and 4.8%, respectively). Likewise, carriers for TC and CC genotypes of -786T>C polymorphism were significantly high (p <0.001) in patients (50 and 32% respectively) than in controls (34.5 and 22.5% respectively). Both 894G>T [OR (95% CI); 4.39 (1.69-11.42)] and -786T>C [OR (95% CI); 2.74 (1.02-7.32]) variants were independently associated with the disease status. Genotype distributions of 894G>T and -786T>C polymorphisms in the diseased and control populations matched with those found in Caucasian populations.

Conclusion: This study, for the first time, suggests an independent association of 894G>T and -786T>C polymorphisms of endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene with coronary artery disease in a Saudi population.