OBJECTIVEInflammation is involved in the process of coronary heart disease (CHD). Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a proinflammatory cytokine which can inhibit the random migration of macrophages and concentrate macrophages at the inflammatory site, and is thought to play an important role in cell mediated immunity. The present study is to investigate the association of the -173 G/C polymorphism of MIF gene with the outcome of the CHD.

METHODSOne hundred and thirty-eight patients with coronary angiography (CAG) proved CHD were studied, and 163 healthy matched controls in Guangdong were studied. Patients and controls were genotyped for a single nucleotide polymorphism in the 5'-flanking region at position -173 of the MIF gene, using PCR-RFLP analysis, followed by DNA sequencing identification.

RESULTSOnly MIF -173G/G and MIF -173G/C genotypes were detected in CHD patients and controls. The MIF -173 G allele was detected in 0.966 of normal controls and 0.917 of patients, while MIF -173 C allele was detected in 0.034 of normal controls and 0.083 of patients. Individuals possessing a MIF-173*C genotype have an increased risk of CHD (16.7% versus 6.8%) (OR: 2.764, 95% CI: 1.295-5.899; P= 0.007).

CONCLUSIONThese results suggest that MIF -173G /C polymorphism was associated with CHD in Chinese population, the MIF -173C allele might be a risk factor for CHD in Chinese Han nationality.