Abstract

BACKGROUND: Matrix metal loproteinase-9 (MMP-9) plays a pivotal role in early atherosclerosis, vascular remodeling and development of atherosclerotic lesion. The potentially functional MMP-9 gene polymorphism may contribute to the susceptibility of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This study aimed to investigate the association between two single nucleotide polymorphisms (−1562C>T, R279Q) of the MMP-9 gene in patients with ACS in the Uygur population of China. METHODS: This case-control study was composed of 361 ACS patients and 432 control subjects, who had undergone coronary angiography. Among the ACS patients, 162 (44.9%) had single-vessel disease, 145 (40.2%) had two-vessel disease, and 54 (14.9%) had three-vessel disease. The genotypes of the two selected SNPs were determined by the method of polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP-PCR). The relationship between the polymorphism of the MMP-9 gene and the severity of coronary arterial stenosis was analyzed. RESULTS: Analysis of the two SNPs showed that the frequency of CT and TT genotypes in patients with ACS was signifi cantly higher than that in the control group (ACS vs. controls; CT+TT: 25.5% vs. 15.8%, P=0.001). And the −1562 gene allele (C/T) was signifi cantly associated with acute coronary syndrome (ACS vs. controls; C allele: 85.7% vs. 91.5%, T allele: 14.3% vs. 8.5%, P<0.001). But the frequencies of CT+TT and CC genotypes were not statistically different among ACS patients with one, two and three or more signifi cantly diseased vessels (P=0.55). The R279Q polymorphism site with regard to the association with ACS was not signifi cant (P>0.05). The presence of CT or TT genotypes, assuming codominant effect of the T allele, was independently associated with increased risk of coronary artery disease when adjustment was made for age, body mass index, smoking, hypertension and diabetes mellitus [odds ratio=1.737 (95% confidence interval, 1.337-2.257), P=0.018]. CONCLUSIONS: MMP-9-1562C>T polymorphism is associated with the susceptibility to ACS in the Uygur population of China. However, this mutation apparently is not related to the severity of coronary arterial stenosis. Another SNP (R279Q) polymorphism of MMP-9 is not significantly associated with the risk of ACS.

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