T-786C single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene and serum level of vascular endothelial relaxant factor (VERF) in non-diabetic patients with coronary artery disease

Abstract

Various mutations on endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOs) gene cause reduced production of NO, a vascular endothelial relaxant factor (VERF), and may accelerate the process of atherosclerosis. The study was designed to investigate the frequency of T-786C polymorphism of the gene in patients suffering from coronary artery disease (CAD) in North West of Iran. One hundred and twenty (120) subjects including 60 patients with angiographically diagnosed CAD and 60 age and sex matched CAD-free subjects as control were studied. The levels of nitric oxide in the samples were measured with the Griess Method. The genotype studies were carried using allele specific PCR. Compared with the control, reduced levels of NO were noticed in the patient group (p < 0.05) and significantly high frequency of eNOs -786C genotype was found in CAD patients (p < 0.05). The low levels of NO and increased frequency of T-786C polymorphism might be a risk factor in the progression of coronary artery disease in the studied subjects.

Key words: Coronary artery disease, endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene, T-786C SNP, vascular endothelial relaxant factor, non-diabetic.