Genetic variation in lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor 1 (LOX1) gene and the risk of coronary artery disease

Abstract

Background - We examined the association of 3 polymorphisms in the lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor-1 (LOX1 or OLR1) gene with coronary artery disease in the Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation (WISE) study population. Methods and Results - The WISE sample comprised 589 white and 122 black women who underwent angiography for suspected ischemia. The sample was divided into 3 groups: <20% stenosis (38.7%), 20% to 49% stenosis (24.9%), and ≥50% stenosis (35.3%). The three LOX1 polymorphisms (intron 4/G→A, intron 5/T→G, and 3′ UTR/T→C) were in linkage disequilibrium and thus behaved as a single polymorphism. The frequency of the 3′UTR/T allele was significantly higher in whites than blacks (49% versus 19%; P<0.0001). Among white women, the frequency of the 3′UTR/T allele carriers (TC+TT genotypes) increased gradually from 67.9% to 75.0% and 79.2% in the <20%, 20% to 49%, and ≥50% stenosis groups, respectively (X2 trend=6.23; P=0.013). Logistic regression analyses indicated that APOE (odds ratio, 1.90; P=0.007) and LOX1 (odds ratio, 1.67; P=0.025) genotypes were independently associated with the risk of disease and that there was no interaction between the two genes. The 3′UTR/T allele carriers also had significantly higher IgG anti-oxLDL levels than individuals carrying the CC genotype (0.94±0.20 versus 0.86±0.16; P=0.032). Furthermore, our electrophoretic mobility shift assay data show that the 3′UTR polymorphic sequence affects the binding of a putative transcription factor in an allele-specific manner. Conclusions - Our data suggest that common genetic variation in the LOX1 gene may be associated with the risk of coronary artery disease in white women.