Genetic polymorphism of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in coronary artery disease
Background Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the Iranian population. Interaction between genetic and environmental factors determines susceptibility of an individual to develop CAD. Nitric oxide (NO) is an important endogenous vasodilator that is produced by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) from L-arginine in endothelial and plays a critical role in the regulation of cardiovascular homeostasis. Objective The purpose of this study was to analyze the eNOS C786T polymorphism in CAD. Materials and Methods The study included 213 patients and 106 controls. eNOS rs41322052 polymorphism was genotyped using PCR RFLP protocol. Results Previous eNOS T786C polymorphism studies suggested this polymorphism has an important role in cardiovascular disorders and especially in its association with the risk of CAD. We determined the prevalence of eNOS T786C polymorphism in healthy volunteers from an Iranian population and in patients suffering from CAD. Distribution of genotypes CC was around 100% for patients and control groups, so the C allele was not the susceptible allele for CAD subjects in this study. Conclusion According to the current study, there were no significant differences in endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene C786T polymorphism between healthy volunteers and patients with CAD. Therefore, genetic variation in eNOS may not contribute to etiology and risk of CAD.