Correlation between matrix metailoprotelnase-3 polymorphism and the stability of carotid plaque

Abstract

Objective To investigate the correlation between matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3)serum level and polymorphism(5A/6A) and the stability of carotid plaque in Chinese Han population.Methods Two hundred and eighty acute cerebral infarction patients from the department of neurology of Taizhou Hospital were divided into carotid vulnerable plaque group and carotid stable plaque group according to the results of carotid B-mode uhrasonngraphy.Serum MMP-3 level waa measured by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).At the same time, genotype was determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) for the common 5A/6A functional promoter polymorphism of the MMP-3 gene.The serum MMP-3 level and genotype frequencies of the MMP-3 gene between the two groups were analyzed.Results The genotype frequencies of the MMP-3 gene 5A/6A polymorphism of the two groups were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium The genotype distribution of the MMP-3 promoter 5A/6A polymorphism between the carotid vulnerable plaque group and the carotid stable plaque group was significantly different(χ2 =6.13, P =0.01, OR = 1.90, 95% CI 1.14-3.15).The frequencies of 5A allele were 20.6% and 12.8% in the carotid vulnerable plaque group and the carotid stable plaque group respectively (χ2=6.09, P=0.01, OR =1.76, 95%CI 1.12-2.77).Serum level of MMP-3 in the carotid vulnerable plaque group was higher than that in the carotid stable plaque group (t = 3.39, P =0.00).Conclusion The present findings suggest that serum level of MMP-3 and genetic polymorphism of 5A/6A in MMP-3 promoter are related with carotid vulnerable plaque in Chinese Han population and 5A allele may be a susceptible predictor of carotid vulnerable plaque. Key words: Matrix metalloproteinase 3; Polymorphism, genetic; Brain infarction; Carotid artery diseases