Association of PLA2G7 gene polymorphisms with ischemic stroke in northern Chinese Han population

Abstract

Objective: Human lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), encoded by the PLA2G7 gene, plays an important role in the pathophysiology of inflammation. This study is aimed at evaluating the potential association of V279F and A379V in PLA2G7 gene with ischemic stroke where inflammatory process is involved.

Design and methods: A total of 386 patients with ischemic stroke and 386 healthy controls were included in the study. The single nucleotide polymorphisms, V279F and A379V, were analyzed by the polymerase chain reaction-ligation detection reaction method.

Results: The frequencies of VV+AV genotype, AV genotype and V allele of A379V in the patients with ischemic stroke were significantly higher than those in the controls (P=0.02, P=0.03, P=0.02, respectively). These correlations still remained after adjusting for confounding risk factors of stroke. Furthermore, subgroup analysis showed that a significant association with A379V was found in large-artery atherosclerotic stroke subgroup. In addition, no significant association was observed between V279F and ischemic stroke.

Conclusion: The study indicated that the A379V variant in PLA2G7 gene might contribute to ischemic stroke susceptibility in northern Chinese Han population.

Keywords: Ischemic stroke; Lp-PLA2; PLA2G7; Polymorphisms.