A functional haplotype in the 5' flanking region of the factor VII gene is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate associations between coronary heart disease risk and polymorphisms in the coagulation factor (F)VII gene in participants of a large prospective study.


METHODS
One thousand nine hundred and fifty-seven men were genotyped for four FVII polymorphisms, -670A-->C, -402G-->A, a 10 base pair insertion at -323 (0 > 10) in the promoter, and R353Q in the structural gene. Associations among genotypes and estimated haplotypes, plasma FVII levels, and coronary heart disease risk were evaluated, and the function of the promoter polymorphisms was assessed in reporter gene assays.


RESULTS
The -670A-->C and -402G-->A polymorphisms were in complete allelic association. The haplotype containing -670C and -402A (frequency =0.23) was associated with significantly increased plasma FVII coagulant activity and increased risk of an initial coronary event, particularly acute myocardial infarction, which remained after correction for conventional risk factors. In contrast, the -323 insertion and Q353 alleles (frequency =0.11 and 0.10, respectively) were associated with decreased plasma FVII levels, but hazard ratios for coronary events in carriers of these alleles were not significantly different from unity. In transiently transfected hepatoma cells, increased basal expression of the reporter gene was directed by a promoter fragment with rare haplotype -670C/-630G/-402A rather than by a promoter fragment with common haplotype -670A/-630A/-402G; -402A was not responsible for this effect.


CONCLUSIONS
The promoter haplotype, -670C/-630G/402A, was associated with significantly increased plasma FVII coagulant activity, risk of an initial coronary event, particularly acute myocardial infarction, and reporter gene expression.
Carew
J A
JA
Department of Medicine, VA Boston Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School, 1400 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury, MA 02132, USA. josephine_carew@hms.harvard.edu
Basso
F
F
Miller
G J
GJ
Hawe
E
E
Jackson
A A
AA
Humphries
S E
SE
Bauer
K A
KA
D000483:Alleles; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005091:Exons; D005167:Factor VII / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D005838:Genotype; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012306:Risk; D014162:Transfection
D005167:Factor VII