Association between ALMS 1 variants and early-onset coronary artery disease: a case-control study in Chinese population

Background: Genome-wide linkage analysis revealed the polymorphism of rs6748040 and glutamic acid repeat are potential pathogenic factors of early-onset myocardial infarction (MI). The present study was designed to investigate the associations of Alstrom syndrome 1 (ALMS 1) gene in Chinese populations with early-onset coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: The two variants of the ALMS 1 gene were genotyped in 1252 early-onset CAD patients and 1378 controls using PCR, followed by Sml I restriction enzyme digestion or direct sequencing of the PCR product. The associations were estimated using the odds ratio (OR) and the 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: A significant association between the ALMS 1 G/A variant and the risk of early-onset MI was detected in G vs.A (OR = 1.371, 95% CI: 1.183-1.589), GG vs. AA (OR = 2.037, 95% CI: 1.408-2.948), dominant genetic model (OR = 1.794, 95% CI: 1.254-2.567), and recessive genetic model (OR = 1.421, 95% CI: 1.177-1.716). 14 glutamic acid repeat (A14) is risk factor for early-onset MI (OR = 1.605, 95% CI: 1.313-1.962) and 17 glutamic acid repeat (A17) is protective factor for the disease (OR = 0.684, 95% CI: 0.601-0.827). These associations were not detected in early-onset CAD patients. Conclusions: Our findings indicated that G/A variant (rs6748040) and glutamic acid repeat polymorphism of the ALMS 1 gene associated with the risk of early-onset MI in the Chinese population.