Ingy Hashad
German University in Cairo, Egypt
Title: Cell junction, oxidative stress, inflammation and gene polymorphism: Are they clues to myocardial infarction?
Biography
Biography: Ingy Hashad
Abstract
Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the universal cause of morbidity and the leading contributor to mortality in both developed and developing countries nowadays. Connexin (Cx) proteins are the building blocks of gap junctions. Among these, Cx37 and Cx40 have been found to be expressed on vascular system and reported to have a cardio protective role. Glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPx-1) enzyme and Manganese Superoxide Dismutase (Mn-SOD), represent a defense mechanism against oxidative stress, thereby c ontributing to the prevention of atherosclerosis. Besides, high homocysteine levels (Hcy) and Hexanoyl Lysine adduct (HEL) are considered to be an independent risk factor for wide range of diseases such as CVD and their complications including Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI). AMI is inflammatory pathology, including cytokines such as Fractalkine which plays a central role in inflammation and tissue injury.
Subjects & Methods: A total of 205 Egyptian subjects were recruited for the study. They were divided into 105 AMI patients and 100 healthy controls. Genotypes for each participant were determined using a polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) for the Cx37, Cx40, GPX-1 and Mn-SOD genes. Serum levels of sVCAM-1, HE L adduct, Homocysteine and fractalkine were detected quantitatively using ELISA.
Results: Allele frequencies for both Cx37 and Cx40 were not significantly different between AMI patients and controls (p=0.93 and 0.24, respectively). The genotype distribution for GPx-1 gene was not significantly different between the AMI patients (CC 56.7%; CT 41.7%; TT 1.7%) and control subjects (CC 53%; CT 45%; TT 2%), (P=0.6008). The prevalence of the V/V genotype of the Val16Ala of Mn-SOD gene polymorphism was significantly more frequent in AMI patients than in control subjects (p=0.0142). In addition, Serum levels of sVCAM-1, HEL adduct, Homocysteine and fractalkine were significantly elevated in AMI patients compared to control subjects (p=0.0273).
Conclusion: Contribution of inflammation and oxidative stress markers in addition to Mn-SOD gene polymorphism in the pathogenesis of AMI in Egyptian Population.