Oestrogen receptor dinucleotide (TA) polymorphism affects total and LDL cholesterol but does not predict premature myocardial infarction in Caucasian men.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this association study was to test the hypothesis whether the oestrogen receptor gene dinucleotide (TA) polymorphism is a risk factor for premature myocardial infarction in Caucasian men. Moreover, we investigated an association between oestrogen receptor gene dinucleotide (TA) polymorphism and serum lipid levels.


RESULTS
One hundred and thirty men with premature myocardial infarction were compared with healthy men. Cases and controls did not demonstrate a statistically significant difference in distribution of the oestrogen receptor dinucleotide (TA) gene polymorphism alleles. Neither did we demonstrate the length of the dinucleotide (TA) repeats of the oestrogen gene to be associated with premature myocardial infarction in Caucasian men. Subjects with larger alleles (both alleles of > or =19 repeats) differed from subjects with other genotypes in serum total and LDL cholesterol, but not in HDL cholesterol and triglycerides.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite an association between the oestrogen receptor gene dinucleotide (TA) polymorphism in the regulatory region of the alpha oestrogen receptor gene and serum total and LDL cholesterol, our study suggests that the oestrogen polymorphism is not associated with premature myocardial infarction in Caucasian men.
Department of Internal Medicine, General Hospital of Ptuj, Slovenia.
Mitja
M
Letonja
Klemen
K
Steblovnik
Borut
B
Peterlin
Daniel
D
Petrovic
D000328:Adult; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D018900:Dinucleotide Repeats / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics*
D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D002784:Cholesterol