Objective: To investigate the expression and clinical significance of circDLGAP4 from peripheral blood in coronary heart disease (CAD). Methods: The relative expression level of circDLGAP4 in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) from 142 CAD patients and 169 healthy controls were detected by real-time PCR. Logistic regression, Spearman correlation and multivariate regression analysis were used to investigate the correlation of circDLGAP4 with CAD. THP-1 macrophages were treated with oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) to construct an atherosclerotic foam cell model. The levels of circDLGAP4 mRNA were detected at different time points. Results: The mRNA expression of circDLGAP4 in PBLs of CAD patients was significantly decreased compared with controls (P=0.019). With increased unit (2 -ΔCt ) of circDLGAP4 expression, the risk of CAD occurrence reduced by 41.6% (adjusted OR=0.584, 95% CI: 0.394-0.866, P=0.007). The expression of circDLGAP4 was negatively correlated with T2DM history (β=-0.182，P=0.030). The level of circDLGAP4 in ox-LDL-treated THP-1 macrophages was decreased in a time-dependent manner. Conclusion The expression of circDLGAP4 was significantly decreased in PBLs of CAD patients and THP-1 macrophages-derived foam cells, and might be a protective factor in the pathophysiology of CAD.

Objective: To explore the relationship between HCM pathogenic gene mutations and clinical phenotypes by analyzing the prenatal diagnosis and genetic characteristics of a pregnant woman from a family with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Methods: The clinical data of the proband and her family members was collected. The DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood, amniotic fluid cells and cultured amniotic fluid cells of proband. Next generation sequencing (NGS) was utilized for screening pathogenetic loci of the proband. The suspected mutation sequences of HCM pathogenic candidate genes MYH7 and MYBPC3 were directly sequenced after PCR. Pathogenicity prediction of amniotic fluid cells was performed by using genetic data and bioinformatics software, such as Mutation taster, PolyPhen-2 and ANTHEPROT. Results: The sequencing results showed that heterozygous mutations of MYH7 c.1988G＞A (p.Arg663His) and MYBPC3 c.151G＞A (p.Ala51Thr) were found in the proband. The phenotype of her father was normal, and no abnormal mutations were detectable. Her mother also showed normal phenotype but carried MYBPC3 c.151G＞A heterozygous mutation. Only MYH7 c.1988G＞A heterozygous mutation was found in the fetus and no abnormal variation of MYBPC3 was showed. The prediction of mutation effect and analysis of protein structure and function revealed that the two missense mutations could affect the hydrophobicity and antigenicity of the protein. The genetic data demonstrated MYH7 c.1988G＞A was defined as a pathogenic mutation. Conclusion MYH7 c.1988G＞A should be a newly generated pathogenic mutation in the proband, or caused by reproductive chimerism of her parents. MYBPC3 c.151G＞A mutation may promote the occurrence of HCM. Although the fetus only carries MYH7 c.1988G＞A, her phenotype may still display as HCM.

Objective: To explore the genetic basis for a pedigree affected with Marfan syndrome (MFS). Methods: Clinical data of the patients was collected.With genomic DNA extracted from peripheral blood samples, potential mutation was detected by targeted exome sequencing.Candidate variants were validated by Sanger sequencing and bioinformatic analysis. Results: Targeted exome sequencing and Sanger sequencing revealed a missense c. 649T>C(p.Trp217Arg) variant in the exon 7 of FBN1 gene, which was unreported previously.Bioinformatics analysis suggested that the variant can cause amino acid replacement and affect the structure and function of fibrillin-1. Conclusion A novel missense variant of the FBN1 gene was identified, which probably underlies the autosomal dominant MFS in this pedigree.