Polymorphisms in the CETP, APOC3 and APOE genes in men with unstable atherosclerotic plaques in the coronary arteries

Objective: To study polymorphisms of the CETP, APOC3, and APOE genes in order to find their associations with the presence of unstable atherosclerotic plaques in the coronary arteries and with the levels of the following proteins: factor XII, tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-alpha), interleukin 8 (IL-8), and adhesive molecules (sVCAM-1).Materials and methods: The study included 101 men aged 40-70 with coronary atherosclerosis, who underwent endarterectomy from the coronary artery (s). According to the histological analysis of plaques, all men were divided into 2 groups: 40 men (39.6%) with stable atherosclerotic plaques, 61 men (60.4%) also had unstable plaques in the coronary arteries. Biochemical studies were performed by enzyme-linked immunoassay using standard ELISAs test systems. Genotyping was performed by PCR with RFLP.Results: The differences between the groups in the frequency of genotypes and alleles of single nucleotide polymorphism of the CETP gene (rs708272) were revealed. Carriers of the C allele are more common in patients with unstable plaques compared with patients with stable plaques, OR = 2257 (1254-4064, p = 0,006). No differences were found between the groups in the frequency of genotypes and alleles for rs5128 of the APOC3 gene, and the e2/e3/e4 polymorphism of the APOE gene. There were differences in the levels of TNF-alpha, factor XII, adhesion molecules sVCAM-1, IL-8 in patients with different genotypes of CETP, APOC3.Conclusion: The C allele of the single-nucleotide polymorphism rs708272 of the CETP gene is associated with the presence of unstable atherosclerotic plaques in the coronary arteries.