title: Polymorphisms in NOS3, MTHFR, APOB and TNF-α Genes and Risk of Coronary Atherosclerotic Lesions in Iranian Patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atherosclerosis is a complex multifocal arterial disease involving interactions between multiple genetic and environmental factors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In the present study, we investigated the possible association between NOS3 (rs1799983), MTHFR (rs1801133), APOB (rs5742904) and TNF-α (rs361525) polymorphisms and the risk of coronary atherosclerotic lesions in Iranian patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the case-control study, 108 patients with coronary atherosclerosis disease and 95 control subjects with no family history of cardiovascular disease were enrolled. Genotypes for NOS3, MTHFR, APOB and TNF-α polymorphisms were identified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We specifically detected the NOS3 TT genotype in 12 patients (11.11%) and did not find the same genotype in any of the controls. The frequencies of T allele in patients and the controls were 24% and 17.8%, respectively. The prevalence of the MTHFR TT genotype was 16.7% in patients and 2.2% in control groups. The prevalence of the APOB-100 (R3500Q) mutation in this patient population was 0%. The frequency of the A allele in the TNF-α gene was 11.1% and 11% in patients and controls, respectively, and the AA genotype was undetected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show a significant association of NOS3 and MTHFR gene polymorphisms with coronary atherosclerotic lesions. Therefore, these variants might influence the risk of coronary artery disease, specifically in the Iranian population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Yazd University, Yazd, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Mehdi
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Heidari
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Yazd University, Yazd, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mehri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khatami
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Afshar Hospital, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hadadzadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Yazd University, Yazd, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mahbobeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kazemi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Yazd University, Yazd, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Sahar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mahamed
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Ashkezar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ashkezar, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Pegah
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Malekzadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Yazd University, Yazd, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Massomeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mirjalili
keywords: APOB; Atherosclerosis; MTHFR; NOS3; PCR-RFLP; Polymorphism; TNF-α