Ja. Hubacek et al., C(-260)-> T polymorphism in the promoter of the CD14 monocyte receptor gene as a risk factor for myocardial infarction, CIRCULATION, 99(25), 1999, pp. 3218-3220
Citations number
17
Categorie Soggetti
Cardiovascular & Respiratory Systems","Cardiovascular & Hematology Research
Background-The CD14 receptor of monocytes is an important mediator for the
activation of monocytes/macrophages by endotoxins from the envelope of Gram
-negative bacteria (lipopolysaccharides). We identified a polymorphism in t
he CD14 receptor and examined whether this genetic marker influenced the ex
pression of the CD14 receptor on monocytes and affected the predisposition
to myocardial infarction.
Methods and Results-We identified a C(-260)-->T nucleotide change, creating
a Haem polymorphism in the promoter of the CD14 gene. The polymorphism was
determined in 178 male patients <65 years old (cases; average age, 55.9+/-
6.3 years) at the time of their first myocardial infarction and in 135 repr
esentative selected male control subjects (controls; average age, 55.2+/-11
.5 years). The frequency of the T allele (absence of the cutting site) was
0.49 in cases and 0.35 in controls (P=0.0005; OR, 1.781; 95% CI, 1.286 to 2
.465). Subsequently, we measured the expression of monocyte CD14 by flow cy
tometry in 18 volunteers with different CD14 genotypes. A significantly hig
her density of the CD14 receptor was shown in the T/T homozygotes than in t
he others (P=0.0028).
Conclusions-A higher frequency of allele T(-260) in the promoter of the CD1
4 receptor gene was found in myocardial infarction survivors than in contro
ls. At the same time, this variation was associated with a higher density o
f CD14 receptors in healthy volunteers. Therefore, we can conclude that in
addition to the well-established risk factors, a genetically determined rea
ction of monocytes/macrophages to infectious stimuli could play an importan
t role in the process of atherosclerosis.