title: Polymorphism in the MHC2TA gene is associated with features of the metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular mortality.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recently, a -168A-->G polymorphism in the MHC class II transactivator gene (MHC2TA) was shown to be associated with increased susceptibility to myocardial infarction (MI).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To confirm the association between the MHC2TA -168A-->G polymorphism and MI and to study its putative role for microalbuminuria, the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and cardiovascular mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using an allelic discrimination method we genotyped 11,064 individuals from three study populations: 1) 4,432 individuals from the Botnia type 2 diabetes (T2D) study, 2) 1,222 patients with MI and 2,345 control subjects participating in the Malmö Diet and Cancer study and comprising an MI case-control sample, and 3) 3,065 T2D patients from the Local Swedish Diabetes registry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No association between the -168A-->G polymorphism in MHC2TA and MI was observed. However, in the Botnia cohort the AG/GG genotypes were associated with cardiovascular mortality after MI (1.78 [1.09-2.92], p = 0.02). In addition, the AG/GG genotypes were more common in subjects with MetS (40.1% vs. 36.9%, p = 0.03) and in non-diabetic subjects with microalbuminuria (45.4% vs. 36.5%, p = 0.003) compared to control subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A polymorphism in MHC2TA was associated with cardiovascular mortality and predictors of cardiovascular mortality, microalbuminuria and MetS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Clinical Research Center, University Hospital Malmö (MAS), Lund University, Malmö, Sweden. Eero.Lindholm@med.lu.se
authors.forename: Eero
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lindholm
authors.forename: Olle
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Melander
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Almgren
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Berglund
authors.forename: Carl-David
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Agardh
authors.forename: Leif
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Groop
authors.forename: Marju
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Orho-Melander
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000419:Albuminuria / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000483:Alleles; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C083728:MHC class II transactivator protein; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators