Lack of association between genetic variations of apo A-I-C-III-A-IV gene cluster and myocardial infarction in a sample of European male: ECTIM study

The goal of the present study was to compare the allele frequency of four p olymorphisms at the apo A-I C-III A-IV cluster gene locus-ApoA-I: XmnI and PstI; ApoC-III: SstI; ApoA-IV: XbaI-between male patients who had had a myo cardial infarction (n = 614) and matched controls (n = 764). The associatio n with a number of lipid lipoprotein, apolipoprotein and lipoprotein partic le variables was also assessed. Patients and subjects were recruited in Bel fast, Lille, Strasbourg and Toulouse in the framework of the ECTIM study. I n the control group, the frequencies of the different polymorphic alleles w ere homogeneous among recruitment centres suggesting the absence of any Eur opean North to South gradient for these cluster polymorphisms. There was no evidence for a significant difference in allelic distribution between case s and controls suggesting that apo A-I, C-III, A-IV gene cluster polymorphi sms do not explain MI survival in this sample of European men. There was no statistically significant association between apo A-I C-III A-IV cluster g ene polymorphisms and lipid, lipoprotein, apolipoprotein, and lipoprotein p article levels. In conclusion, in the ECTIM study, the apo A-I, C-III, A-IV gene cluster polymorphism is associated with neither circulating plasma va riables nor MI survival. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.