Association between the PlA platelet glycoprotein GPIIIa polymorphism and extent of coronary artery disease

Abstract Background: The Pl A2 allele of the gene encoding for GPIIIa subunit of the platelet membrane receptor glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa has been suggested as a significant risk factor for thrombotic complications of coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of the current investigation was to investigate the association between Pl A GPIIIa polymorphism and the extent of angiographically confirmed CAD in patients from the north region of Poland. Methods: The study was performed in 397 male Caucasian patients. All subjects had significant coronary artery stenosis confirmed by elective coronary angiography. Screening for the Pl A GPIIIa genotypes was performed by polymerase chain reaction of genomic DNA, followed by Nci I digestion and agarose gel electrophoresis. Results: The genotype distribution of the Pl A GPIIIa polymorphism in our study group was Pl A1/A1 —75%, Pl A1/A2 —24% and Pl A2/A2 —1% with Pl A1 and Pl A2 allele frequencies of 0.87 and 0.13, respectively. The prevalence of the homozygous Pl A1/A1 genotype among subjects with multiple-vessel CAD (two or three vessels with at least 50% stenosis) was significantly higher than in patients with single-vessel disease; the odds ratio of Pl A2/A2 or Pl A1/A2 patients for having multiple-vessel CAD was 0.46 (95% CI 0.27–0.77, P Pl A1/A1 patients was significantly higher in comparison to Pl A2/A2 and Pl A1/A2 patients (7.58±2.20 and 6.98±2.37, respectively, P Conclusions: Our results suggest, that the Pl A1/A1 genotype of Pl A GPIIIa polymorphism is associated with more severe CAD in male Caucasian patients from the north region of Poland.