NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Polymorphisms in the gene for an inflammatory regulator are associated with an increased risk of both myocardial infarction and stroke, according to a report in the February 8th advance online issue of Nature Genetics.
The researchers observe that the gene, known as ALOX5AP, encodes 5-lipoxygenase activating protein (FLAP), which plays a key role in regulating the formation of leukotrienes.
Dr. Kari Stefansson, from deCODE genetics in Reykjavik, Iceland, and colleagues found that a four-marker single-nucleotide polymorphism haplotype in ALOX5AP was linked to a twofold increased risk of myocardial infarction in the studied Icelandic population. Moreover, this haplotype was also tied to a near doubling of the stroke risk.
In a British cohort, the researchers identified another ALOX5AP haplotype that raised the risk of myocardial infarction by almost twofold.
Further testing revealed that neutrophils from patients with the ALOX5AP mutations produced more leukotriene B4 than neutrophils from control subjects.
“Our study suggests that ALOX5AP has an important role in the pathogenesis of myocardial infarction and stroke in humans,” the authors point out. These results, “together with others, may provide the necessary background to launch therapeutic trials to determine whether pharmacological inhibition of FLAP will prevent the development of myocardial infarction and stroke.”
Source: Nat Genet 2004. [ Google search on this article ]
MeSH Headings:Polymorphism, Single NucleotideCopyright © 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
