Flotillin-2 Gene Is Associated with Coronary Artery Disease in Chinese Han Population

Background: Flotillin-2, an important protein of vesicular endocytosis, is commonly used as a marker protein for lipid microdomains. It plays an essential role in cellular cholesterol uptake and biliary cholesterol reabsorption. Excessive cholesterol intake could cause dyslipidemia, which is a major risk factor of coronary artery disease (CAD). Aims: To investigate the association between the human flotillin-2 gene polymorphism and CAD in the Chinese Han population. Materials and Methods: Three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; rs10205, rs3816848 and rs8081659) of the flotillin-2 gene were genotyped by real-time polymerase chain reaction in 307 CAD patients and 441 control subjects. Results: The genotypic distribution of these three SNPs was significantly different between CAD patients and control subjects (all p<0.05). There were significant differences in the plasma levels of total cholesterol (TC) among different genotypes in the CAD group and control group. For rs3816848, CAD patients with the GG genotype had a higher level of TC than those with an AG or AA genotype (p<0.001). For rs8081659, CAD patients with TT genotype had a higher level of TC than those with a CT or CC genotype (p<0.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the GG genotype of rs3816848 was an independent risk factor for CAD (odds ratio [OR]=1.786; 95% CI=1.099-2.902; p=0.019). Conclusion: There was a strong association between polymorphisms of flotillin-2 gene and CAD in the Chinese Han population. Persons with the GG genotype of rs3816848 may have a higher risk of CAD. Moreover, the plasma levels of TC were significantly different among the different genotypes of the rs3816848 and rs8081659 SNPs in the CAD group as well as the control group.