Affiliations: Laboratory of Haematology and Blood Transfusion Unit,
Attikon Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Athina,
Greece | Second Department of Cardiology, Attikon Hospital,
School of Medicine, University of Athens, Athina, Greece
Note: [] Corresponding author: Aggeliki-Maria Zigra, Laboratory of
Haematology and Blood Transfusion Unit, Attikon Hospital, School of Medicine,
University of Athens, Athina, Greece. E-mail: zou2zigra@yahoo.gr
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) as well as
nitric oxide play an important role in the regulation of cardiovascular
function. There are limited and controversial data regarding the impact of
polymorphisms of eNOS gene that is implicated in the vasoconstrictive
properties of the endothelium in the pathogenesis of premature myocardial
infarction (MI). OBJECTIVE: We examined whether two common polymorphisms of eNOS gene
(G894T and T786C) are associated with the development of premature MI. METHODS: We recruited 107 patients with premature MI and compared
them to 103 age- and sex- matched controls. All patients underwent coronary
angiogram and were classified into the subgroup of patients with 'normal' or
'near normal' coronary arteries and the subgroup of patients with significant
coronary artery disease (⩾ 50% stenosis in lumen diameter of coronary
arteries). The genetic polymorphisms of eNOS gene were assayed with polymerase
chain reaction and reverse hybridization. RESULTS: Nineteen patients (17.8%) had 'normal' or 'near normal'
coronary arteries. A significantly higher frequency of homozygosity for the
786C (32%) and the 894T (21%) alleles of the eNOS gene in patients who develop
early MI in the setting of angiographically 'normal' or 'near normal' coronary
arteries were found. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the T786C and the G894T genetic
polymorphisms are associated with the development of MI in very young
individuals, whose coronary arteries are characterized by very small
atheromatic burden.
