FADS Gene Polymorphisms Confer the Risk of Coronary Artery Disease in a Chinese Han Population through the Altered Desaturase Activities: Based on High-Resolution Melting Analysis

Shuang-Yan Lu,Pei Ma,Yan Gong,Zhen-Lu Zhang,Yi-Dan Zhou,Song-Mei Liu,Si-Wei Li,Kun Lin,Xin Zhou

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0055869

Abstract

ObjectiveWe explored the desaturase activities and the correlation of fatty acid desaturases (FADS) gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with plasma fatty acid in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients in a Chinese Han population.MethodsPlasma fatty acids were measured by gas chromatography in CAD patients (n = 505) and a control group (n = 510). Five SNPs in the FADS gene were genotyped with high-resolution melting (HRM) methods.ResultsAfter adjustment, D6D activity, assessed as arachidonic acid (AA, C20:4n-6)/linoleic acid (LA, C18:2n-6), was higher in CAD patients (p<0.001). D9D activity, which was estimated as the ratio of palmitoleic acid (C16:1)/palmitic acid (C16:0) or oleic acid (C18:1n-9) to stearic acid (C18:0), was also increased (p<0.001). The genotype distributions of rs174537 G>T and rs174460 C>T were different between the two groups. The rs174537 T allele was associated with a lower risk of CAD [OR 0.743, 95% CI (0.624, 0.884), p = 0.001]. Carriers of the rs174460 C allele were associated with a higher risk of CAD [OR 1.357, 95% CI (1.106, 1.665), p = 0.003].ConclusionsWe firstly report that the rs174460 C allele is associated with a higher risk of CAD, and confirm that the rs174537 T allele is associated with a lower risk of CAD. Our results indicate that FADS gene polymorphisms are likely to influence plasma fatty acid concentrations and desaturase activities.

Highlights

Coronary artery disease (CAD), the major type of cardiovascular disease, is becoming the number one cause of morbidity and mortality among adults in China
The plasma fatty acid concentration differed between controls and CAD patients in several instances (Table 3)
The results showed that the fatty acid composition in plasma and the estimated desaturase activities were significantly different between controls and CAD patients

Summary

Introduction

Coronary artery disease (CAD), the major type of cardiovascular disease, is becoming the number one cause of morbidity and mortality among adults in China. Dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, and fatty acid metabolic abnormalities are risk factors for the development of atherosclerosis [1]. Studies have shown that saturated fatty acids can promote the risk of CAD, while unsaturated fatty acids reduced this risk [1,2]. Recent reports have highlighted the influence of fatty acid composition on metabolic syndrome and arterial stiffness, such as linoleic acid (LA, C18:2n-6) and dihomo-c-linolenic acid (DGLA, C20:3n-6) [1,3]. Some findings suggested that sufficient amounts of LA can reduce cardiovascular risk [3,4]. Dietary eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6n-3) can prevent sudden cardiac death, acute coronary syndrome, and heart failure [5]

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