Platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa polymorphism HPA-3 b/b is associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke in patients under 60 years of age.
BACKGROUND
The role of genetic risk factors in ischemic stroke is unclear. Platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (GpIIb-IIIa) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke. We sought to evaluate the relationship between the GpIIb/IIIa complex gene polymorphism and ischemic stroke.


METHODS
We investigated the association of the GpIIb/IIIa complex gene polymorphism with stroke risk in 306 patients with acute ischemic stroke and 266 control subjects by determining the GpIIb and GpIIIa genotype from leukocyte DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by FokI and ScrFI digestion, respectively.


RESULTS
Compared with controls, more patients presented with coronary heart disease, hypertension, smoking history, and diabetes. In addition, the patients had higher levels of cholesterol and glucose compared with the control subjects. All donors in the GpIIIa (n=572) group expressed the GpIIIa PlA1 (HPA-1 aa) phenotype. There were no significant differences between the HPA-3 genotype (GpIIb) patient distribution (aa=39.9%, ab=41.4%, bb=28.7%) and healthy control subjects (aa=36.1%, ab=35.0%, bb=28.9%) (P=0.580). Among study participants <60 years, there was a significant difference in the HPA-3 genotype distributions of patients (aa=42.9%, ab=19.8%, bb=37.4%) and healthy control subjects (aa=43.3%, ab=38.8%, bb=17.9%) (P=0.007). Furthermore, HPA-3 b/b increased the risk of ischemic stroke >2-fold (P=0.008).


CONCLUSIONS
The GpIIb Ile/Ser843 gene polymorphism is associated with ischemic stroke among young and middle-aged adults (<60 years), especially males. The GpIIIa PlA1 phenotype has no relationship to ischemic stroke.
Department of Neurology, Shanghai 6th People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. duanhao_sh@sina.com.cn
Hao
H
Duan
Yan
Y
Cai
Xiaojiang
X
Sun
D016824:Antigens, Human Platelet / Q000235:genetics*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000235:genetics*
C083448:3b alloantigen, human; D016824:Antigens, Human Platelet; D001786:Blood Glucose; D017931:DNA Primers; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex; D002784:Cholesterol