Association between matrix metalloproteinase-9 polymorphism (-1562C ＞ T/R279Q) and acute coronary syndrome in Uygur nationality of Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China

Objective To investigate the association between matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) gene polymorphism (-1562C ＞ T/R279Q) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in Uygur nationality of Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China. Methods A total of 352 patients with ACS including 213 patients with unstable angina pectoris and 139 patients with acute myocardial infarction evidenced by using coronary arteriography and 421 control subjects were recruited in this study. The MMP-9-1562C ＞ T and R279Q genotypes were detemined by using PCR-RFLP method. The relationship between the polymorphism in the MMP-9 gene and the severity of coronary arterial stenosis was analyzed. All polymorphisms were determined for confimation with Hardy-Weinberg expectations in both groups separately. Differences in distributions of genotypes and alleles between two groups were analyzed with x2 test. The association between the MMP-9 polymorphisms and the risk of ACS was estimated by odds ratio(Ors) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and the comprehensive evaluation of the factors associated with ACS was determined by using multifactor logistic regression. P ＜ 0. 05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results The genotype frequencies for CT + TT genotypes and T allele were 25.9 and14.5 percent in ACS subjects and 15.7 and 8.4 percent in control subjects, respectively. The genotype frequencies were different significantly between the two groups (x2 = 12.26,P ＜ 0.01;x2 = 14.15,P ＜ 0.01, respectively). No relationship between R279Q polymorphism and ACS was found in this study ( P ＞ 0.05). The multifactor logistic regression analysis showed that the T allele carrier (CT + TT) significantly increased the risk of ACS compared with the CC genotype ( OR = 1.791,95 % CI: 1. 088 - 2.951, P = 0.022) after adjustment for tradition risk factors. The frequencies for CT + TT and CC genotypes of the -1562C ＞ T polymorphism were not statistically different among ACS patients with one, two and three or more significantly diseased vessels ( x2 = 1.15, P = 0.56). Conclusions The findings suggest that the polymorphism in MMP-9 gene promoter (-1562C ＞ T) is associated with the susceptibility to the ACS. The T allele might be an independent risk factor for the ACS. But the -1562C ＞ T polymorphism may not be useful as a predictor of the severity of coronary arterial stenosis. The R279Q polymorphism of MMP-9 gene was not significantly associated with ACS in this studied population.