A polymorphism (G894T) in eNOS increases the risk of coronary atherosclerosis rather than intracranial atherosclerosis in Koreans.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate whether genetic variations in the eNOS gene were associated with intracranial and extracranial atherosclerosis in Koreans.


METHODS
We analyzed data on 282 consecutive Korean patients with atherosclerosis in intracranial (ICAS) or extracranial vessels, and compared with 300 healthy individuals. The eNOS gene polymorphism was analyzed by PCR and direct sequencing.


RESULTS
All genetic variants were single nucleotide polymorphism, two in the coding sequence (C774T and G894T) and one in intron 6. The frequency of the G894T polymorphism was significantly higher in the coronary atherosclerosis group than in the control group, but its presence did not correlate with other clinical risk factors. There was no significant difference in genotype and allele frequencies between coronary atherosclerosis and ICAS.


CONCLUSIONS
The G894T polymorphism in the eNOS gene might influence coronary atherosclerosis rather than ICAS in Koreans.
Department of Forensic Medicine and Research Institute of Forensic Science, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea.
Byeong-Woo
BW
Min
Joo-Young
JY
Na
Sang-Woo
SW
Juhng
Man-Seok
MS
Park
Jong-Tae
JT
Park
Hyung-Seok
HS
Kim
D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D002537:Intracranial Arteriosclerosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors
C496314:NOS3 protein, human; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III