title: Functional variation in LGALS2 confers risk of myocardial infarction and regulates lymphotoxin-alpha secretion in vitro.
abstract: Myocardial infarction (MI) has become one of the leading causes of death in the world. Its pathogenesis includes chronic formation of plaque inside the vessel wall of the coronary artery and acute rupture of the artery, implicating a number of inflammation-mediating molecules, such as the cytokine lymphotoxin-alpha (LTA). Functional variations in LTA are associated with susceptibility to MI. Here we show that LTA protein binds to galectin-2, a member of the galactose-binding lectin family. Our case-control association study in a Japanese population showed that a single nucleotide polymorphism in LGALS2 encoding galectin-2 is significantly associated with susceptibility to MI. This genetic substitution affects the transcriptional level of galectin-2 in vitro, potentially leading to altered secretion of LTA, which would then affect the degree of inflammation; however, its relevance to other populations remains to be clarified. Smooth muscle cells and macrophages in the human atherosclerotic lesions expressed both galectin-2 and LTA. Our findings thus suggest a link between the LTA cascade and the pathogenesis of MI.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Cardiovascular Diseases, SNP Research Center, The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN), Tokyo 108-8639, Japan.
authors.forename: Kouichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ozaki
authors.forename: Katsumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Aritoshi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iida
authors.forename: Yozo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohnishi
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sekine
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Keita
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Odashiro
authors.forename: Masakiyo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nobuyoshi
authors.forename: Masatsugu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hori
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D037501:Galectin 2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000235:genetics; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics; D007564:Japan; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D011485:Protein Binding; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014404:Tubulin / Q000378:metabolism; D020798:Two-Hybrid System Techniques
chemical_list: D037501:Galectin 2; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D014404:Tubulin