OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between CD147 expression and its untranslated regions 3'UTR rs8259 T/A polymorphism and acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

METHODSThe genotypes of CD147 were detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) methods in 182 ACS patients and 328 healthy controls. The plasma level of CD147 was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). CD147 mRNA and protein expression was detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blot.

RESULTSThe plasma CD147 level obtained from radial artery in ACS patients ((3.63 ± 0.70) pg/L) was significantly higher than in control ((2.45 ± 0.27) pg/L, P < 0.05), and highest in plasma obtained from the coronary artery ((4.28 ± 1.03) pg/L, P < 0.05) in ACS patients. Furthermore, the plasma CD147 level was higher in the ACS patients with rs8259 AA genotype than in the ACS patients with rs8259 TT genotype ((4.08 ± 0.41) pg/L vs. (3.05 ± 0.79) pg/L in radial artery and (5.29 ± 0.62) pg/L vs. (3.13 ± 0.52) pg/L in coronary artery, both P < 0.05). There are an enhanced expression of CD147 mRNA (2.45 times higher than control) and protein (3.66 ± 1.56 vs. 1.81 ± 1.29) in PBMCs from ACS patients than that from controls (both P < 0.05). The PBMCs CD147 mRNA and protein expression level were significantly higher in ACS patients with rs8259 AA genotype (mRNA:2.45 ± 0.35, protein:1.63 ± 0.16) compared to ACS patients with rs8259 TT genotype (mRNA:1.69 ± 0.15, protein: 0.88 ± 0.16, both P < 0.05). Multiple logistic analysis showed that CD147 T allele (AT+TT) was a protective factor to ACS (OR = 0.667, 95% CI 0.507-0.879, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe over-expression of CD147 is involved in the pathogenesis of ACS. The CD147 3'UTR rs8259 T allele may be a protective factor for ACS, its polymorphism can affect the CD147 protein expression in ACS patients.