Polymorphism of p53 gene codon 72 in Kuwaiti with coronary artery disease and diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
Polymorphism in the p53 gene at codon 72 has been linked to the development of certain diseases including cancer. A possible association between such polymorphism and the development of coronary artery disease (CAD) and diabetes is being investigated, but no conclusive evidence has been reached yet. Our study is the first pilot study to be conducted on Kuwaitis suffering from CAD and diabetes, aiming at investigating the possible existence of the above association.


METHODS
We analyzed the genotype distribution and allele frequency of p53 gene at codon 72 in 158 CAD samples and 110 controls, and in 142 diabetic and 130 controls.


RESULTS
Analysis of CAD patients revealed an alarming significant association between the disease and the existence of diabetes (P=0.0007). Also, the CAD patients had significantly higher level of triglyceride (P<0.0001) and cholesterol (P<0.0001) as compared to control. As for the polymorphism in p53 gene codon 72, we could not detect any association with the genotype Pro/Pro, Pro/Arg or Arg/Arg distribution (P=0.28) or allele (Pro or Arg) frequency (P=0.25) in the CAD patients. Similarly, no association was found with the genotype Pro/Pro, Pro/Arg or Arg/Arg distribution (P=0.44) or allele (Pro or Arg) frequency (P=0.26) in the diabetic patients.


CONCLUSIONS
CAD seems to be strongly linked to diabetes in Kuwait. Polymorphism in the p53 gene at codon 72 revealed no significant association with the development of CAD or diabetes in Kuwait, which confirms other similar results obtained in the US and Asia.
Alkhalaf
Moussa
M
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, P.O. Box: 24923 Safat 13110, Kuwait. Alkhalaf@hsc.edu.kw
Al-Bustan
Suzanne
S
Hamoda
Hesham
H
Abdella
Nabila
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003062:Codon; D015897:Comorbidity; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D016158:Genes, p53 / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007730:Kuwait; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
D003062:Codon