Association between promoter polymorphisms of vascular endothelial growth factor gene and sporadic Alzheimer's disease among Northern Chinese Han

Increasing evidences suggest that polymorphisms within the promoter region of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene may elevate the risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). In Northern Chinese Han, we found three polymorphisms in the VEGF promoter: -2578C/A (rs699947), -25491/D (rs35569394) and -1154G/A (rs1570360). A strong linkage disequilibrium was detected between -2578C/A and -25491/D. After adjusting the data by gender, age and the APOE epsilon 4 status using logistic regression, the -1154G/G genotype was found to increase the risk for sporadic AD (SAD) by 1.4-folds. In the subgroup of APOE epsilon 4 non-carriers, the -1154G allele and -2549D/-1154G haplotype were observed to be significantly higher in the 279 SAD patients than in the 317 healthy individuals. The present study provides the evidence that the -1154G allele and the -2549D/-1154G haplotype may be associated with the development of SAD in the individuals without APOE epsilon 4 allele. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.