title: Associations between vascular endothelial growth factor gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to acute mountain sickness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated associations between polymorphisms in the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene and susceptibility to acute mountain sickness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred Han Chinese soldiers who developed acute mountain sickness after rapidly ascending to  an altitude of < 3600 m and 200 control soldiers (who did not develop the condition) were enrolled in the study. Twelve single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the VEGF gene were genotyped in all the study participants. Plasma VEGF concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked  immunosorbent assay in 40 subjects with acute mountain sickness and 40 controls before and after exposure to high altitude.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequencies of the rs3025039 genotype and allele were significantly different between the groups. Two SNPs, rs3025039 (which involves a C→T allele variation  at position 936 in the 3' untranslated region) and rs3025030 (which involves a G→C allele variation in the intronic sequence), were associated with a decreased risk of acute mountain sickness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The SNPs rs3025039 and rs3025030 of the VEGF gene may be associated  with a decreased risk of acute mountain sickness development.
authors: Department of Respiratory Diseases, General Hospital of Chinese People's Armed Police Forces, Beijing, China.
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Ding
authors: Q
authors: Q
authors: Liu
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Hua
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Ding
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Du
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Zhang
authors: Z
authors: Z
authors: Li
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D000531:Altitude; D000532:Altitude Sickness / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D005787:Gene Frequency; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia; D008297:Male; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors