Mayo Clinic Study Links Gene To Heart Disease Marker; Gene Variations May Be Early Risk Factor For Inflammatory Diseases

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Source:

Mayo Clinic (http://www.mayo.edu/)

Posted 5/20/2002

Mayo Clinic Study Links Gene To Heart

Disease Marker; Gene Variations May Be

Early Risk Factor For Inflammatory

Diseases

ROCHESTER, MINN. -- Common variations in a

single gene are associated with increased

blood levels of C-reactive Protein (CRP),

a biomarker that has recently become an

important risk factor for cardiovascular

disease, according to a Mayo Clinic study

published in the May 17 issue of the

journal Cytokine.

The researchers’ findings are the first to

demonstrate a strong connection between

common variations in IL-1 genes and the

production of CRP and other inflammatory

proteins by the liver.

Numerous studies have identified

inflammation as a major component of the

atherosclerosis disease process, the

accumulation of fatty plaques in arteries

that can lead to heart attack or stroke.

CRP, a protein marker of inflammation, has

recently been recognized as a significant

factor in understanding cardiovascular

disease. IL-1, a primary regulator of

inflammation, wound healing and bone and

connective tissue responses following

injury or the onset of disease, starts the

chain reaction of inflammatory proteins

that leads to production of CRP.

" By understanding the genetic

underpinnings of cardiovascular disease,

physicians may in the future be able to

take a more complete approach to managing

patient care, " says Berger, M.D.,

Mayo Clinic cardiologist and the lead

author on the paper. " Factors that

influence genetic predisposition to

disease may enable doctors to identify

patients who are most at risk at an

earlier age. Furthermore, the growing body

of knowledge about markers, such as CRP,

may help physicians in monitoring the

onset and progression of disease as well

as the effectiveness of therapeutic

interventions. "

To evaluate genetic influence on the

inflammatory response, researchers

identified the presence of four common

polymorphisms in IL-1 genes in 454

patients undergoing coronary angiography.

Those variations were analyzed to

determine their influence on plasma CRP

and fibrinogen levels. CRP levels remained

significantly associated with IL-1

polymorphisms after adjustment for

smoking, gender and age. Levels of

fibrinogen, another marker, had similar

associations with the IL-1 genotypes.

The study was done in cooperation with

researchers from Interleukin Genetics and

University of Sheffield (England) and was

funded by Interleukin Genetics.