HPA-1 GENOTYPE IN ARTERIAL THROMBOSIS - ROLE OF HPA-1B POLYMORPHISM IN PLATELET-FUNCTION

Recently, the HPA-lb (PIA2) polymorphism of the platelet glycoprotein IIIa has been suggested as a genetic risk factor for coronary artery d isease. We conducted two case-control studies of 103 patients with isc haemic cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and 101 patients with ischaemic h eart disease (IHD). The groups were matched for age, race and sex. No significant differences regarding selected risk factors (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolaemia and smoking) were found betw een case patients and controls. Moreover, we investigated 286 normal i ndividuals from the Mediterranean area, Genotyping of HPA-1 was perfor med by PCR-allelic specific restriction and single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis. The prevalence of HPA-lb was similar among cas e patients and controls (29.2% vs. 25,3% and 26.70% vs. 34.6% for CVD and IHD case-control studies, respectively),The HPA-lb allele was foun d in 36.4% of the normal population. Finally, the analysis of platelet function in nine controls with the three possible HPA-1 genotypes (th ree a/a, three a/b and three bib) indicates that HPA-lb genotype does not modify either the in vitro platelet aggregation and activation pro file, nor the GP IIb/IIIa interaction with fibrinogen or von Willebran d factor, Our results do not support the role of HPA-lb polymorphism a s an inherited risk factor for arterial thrombotic disease.