Possible association between genetic polymorphisms in transforming growth factor beta receptors, serum transforming growth factor beta1 concentration and abdominal aortic aneurysm.
BACKGROUND
Previous studies have suggested a role for transforming growth factor (TGF) beta and its receptor in thoracic aortic aneurysm, but their role in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is unknown. This study examined the possible association between TGF-beta receptor 1 and 2 (TGFBR-1 and -2) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and serum TGF-beta1 with AAA.


METHODS
Serum concentrations of TGF-beta1 and 58 SNPs for TGFBR-1 and -2 were examined in 1003 and 1711 men respectively from the Health In Men Study. Validation of SNPs was examined in a second referral cohort of 1043 subjects from New Zealand, of whom 654 had an AAA.


RESULTS
Serum TGF-beta1 was not associated with AAA. Only one SNP in TGFBR-2 was weakly associated with AAA; TGFBR2 g.42917C > T, SNP ID rs1078985CC; odds ratio 0.64 (95 per cent confidence interval (c.i.) 0.45 to 0.93); P = 0.020 uncorrected; but this association did not hold after adjusting for multiple testing and was not validated in the New Zealand cohort: odds ratio 0.98 (95 per cent c.i. 0.50 to 1.94); P = 0.960.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest there is no important role of genetic polymorphisms in the main receptors for TGF-beta and circulating TGF-beta1 in AAA in older individuals. (c) 2009 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd.
Golledge
J
J
Vascular Biology Unit, School of Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia. Jonathan.Golledge@jcu.edu.au
Clancy
P
P
Jones
G T
GT
Cooper
M
M
Palmer
L J
LJ
van Rij
A M
AM
Norman
P E
PE
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D000077293:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I; D000077294:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000097:blood*
D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D000077293:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I; D000077294:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II; C000625841:TGFBR1 protein, human