OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between genetic polymorphisms of inflammatory factors and susceptibility to coronary heart disease(CHD) in southern Chinese Han population.

METHODSUsing matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) method, the genotypes of five inflammatory factors (BRCA1-associated protein, a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 8, inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor H3, interleukin-15, cyclooxygenase-2) were anaylzed in 283 CHD patients diagnosed by angiography and 176 controls.

RESULTSIn these inflammatory factors, the 270T/C and 90A/G polymorphisms of the BRAP gene showed a significant association with CHD. The allele and genotype frequencies of BRAP gene were consistent with those predicted by Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (chi-square=0.878, P> 0.05; chi-square=0.776, P> 0.05, respectively). The frequencecies of 270C and 90G alleles in CHD patients was significantly higher than those of the control group (29.51% vs. 21.31%, P=0.006; 30.04% vs. 21.31%, P=0.004, respectively). Compared with 270TT and 90AA, 270CC and 90GG genotypes had a significantly increased CHD risk by Logistic regression analysis (OR=4.51, 95%CI: 1.41-14.45, P=0.011; OR=5.09, 95%CI: 1.60-16.26, P=0.006, respectively). This association was still signifcant after adjustment for the sex, age, smoke, hypertension, diabetes, plasma total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein levels. No evidence of association was found for other single nucleotide polymorphisms.

CONCLUSIONThe 270T/C and 90A/G polymorphisms in the BRAP gene may contribute to an increased risk of CHD among southern Chinese Han population.