ADA*2 allele of the adenosine deaminase gene may protect against coronary artery disease.
OBJECTIVE
The common G22A polymorphism in the adenosine deaminase (ADA) gene leads to substitution Asp8Asn. The lower activity of the enzyme encoded by A22 (ADA*2) allele may increase tissue concentrations of adenosine, a potent cardioprotective agent. In a case-control study, we investigated the association between ADA polymorphism and coronary artery disease (CAD).


METHODS
A hundred and seventy-one CAD patients from the north-western part of Poland and 200 consecutive newborns from the same population were genotyped by PCR-RFLP.


RESULTS
Twenty-five ADA*1/*2 heterozygotes (12.5%) and 2 ADA*2/*2 homozygotes (1%) were found in the control group, while only 10 *1/*2 heterozygotes (5.9%) and no *2/*2 homozygotes were found in the CAD group. Frequencies of ADA*2 carriers (5.9% vs. 13.5%, p = 0.015) and ADA*2 allele (2.9% vs. 7.3%, p = 0.0083) were lower in CAD patients than in controls. Among CAD patients, a significantly lower proportion of *2 allele carriers was treated with diuretics and ACE inhibitors when compared to *1/*1 wild-type homozygotes.


CONCLUSIONS
ADA*2 allele may decrease genetic susceptibility to CAD. ADA should be added to the list of candidate genes modifying the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Safranow
Krzysztof
K
Department of Biochemistry and Medical Chemistry, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland. chrissaf@mp.pl
Rzeuski
Ryszard
R
Binczak-Kuleta
Agnieszka
A
Czyzycka
Edyta
E
Skowronek
Janusz
J
Jakubowska
Katarzyna
K
Wojtarowicz
Andrzej
A
Loniewska
Beata
B
Ciechanowicz
Andrzej
A
Kornacewicz-Jach
Zdzislawa
Z
Chlubek
Dariusz
D
D000243:Adenosine Deaminase / Q000235:genetics*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
D000243:Adenosine Deaminase