Association of V249I and T280M polymorphisms in the chemokine receptor CX3CR1 gene with early onset of coronary artery disease among North Indians.

AIM

Monocytes play a critical role in atherosclerosis. CX3CR1 is expressed on monocytes and acts as either a monocyte chemokine receptor or an adhesion molecule. Two common variants of CX3CR1, V249I and T280M, reportedly decrease the coronary artery risk.

RESULTS

We have examined the CX3CR1 genotype in 152 early-onset coronary artery disease (CAD) patients (age ≤ 45 years) and in 156 late-onset CAD patients (age ≥ 55 years) and in 300 healthy controls. Homozygous alleles CX3CR1-V249 and T280 were found associated with early onset of CAD (odds ratio [OR] 2.7, p<0.0001 and OR 2.76, p<0.0001, respectively), while alleles CX3CR1-I249 and M280 were found to be protective against early onset of disease (OR 0.36, p<0.0001 and OR 0.35, p<0.0001, respectively). A significant protective effect of the I(249)M(280) haplotype was observed in the early-onset CAD population (OR=0.40, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.19-0.86, p=0.02), while the haplotype V(249)T(280) was associated with early onset of disease (OR=1.53, 95% CI=1.05-2.23, p=0.02).

OBSERVATION

It might be possible that the risk of early onset of CAD is associated with a genetic variation in chemokine receptor CX3CR1.