CYP A-204C polymorphism is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the association of common polymorphisms involved in lipoprotein oxidation, platelet activation, and cholesterol and homocysteine metabolism with subclinical atherosclerosis and indices of endothelial function and arterial elasticity in healthy postmenopausal women.


METHODS
The study investigated 84 healthy postmenopausal women recruited from the Menopause Clinic of the 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens, Aretaieion Hospital. The following polymorphisms were genotyped: apolipoprotein B 3500, apolipoprotein E (E2/E3/E4), cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase A-204C (CYP A-204C), cholesterol ester transfer protein B1/B2, glycoprotein IIIa leu33pro, integrin beta 3 PLA1/PLA2, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 4G/5G, paraoxonase 1 gln192 arg, and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase ala222val. Ultrasound examination aimed to assess the presence of atherosclerotic plaque and to measure intima-media thickness in the carotid and femoral arteries and to estimate the augmentation index, brachial flow-mediated dilatation, and radial and femoral pulse-wave velocity.


RESULTS
The cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase A-204C polymorphism was positively associated with the presence of atherosclerotic plaque (P = 0.004) and carotid and femoral intima-media thickness (P = 0.047 and P = 0.025, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
The CYP A-204C polymorphism was positively associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in healthy postmenopausal women. It remains to be clarified whether the presence of these polymorphisms may be valuable in assessing the inherent risk among postmenopausal women.
Lambrinoudaki
Irene V
IV
2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, Athens, Greece. ilambrinoudaki@hotmail.com
Kaparos
George I
GI
Vlachou
Sofia A
SA
Stamatelopoulos
Kimon S
KS
Georgiopoulos
George A
GA
Sergentanis
Thodoris N
TN
Panoulis
Constantinos P
CP
Christodoulakos
George E
GE
Alexandrou
Andreas P
AP
Kouskouni
Evangelia E
EE
Creatsa
Maria G
MG
Papamichael
Christos M
CM
D000368:Aged; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002790:Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D017698:Postmenopause; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000473:pathology
D002790:Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase