Candidate gene polymorphisms in cardiovascular disease: A comparative study of frequencies between a French and an Italian population

A multilocus assay was used to genotype up to 27 variable sites in 15 genes in French and Italian, presumed to be healthy populations (n=1480, n=162, respectively). These genes are involved in lipid metabolism (APOE, APOB, APOC3, CETP, LPL, PON), homocysteine metabolism (CBS, MTHFR), blood viscosity (Fibrinogen, FV), platelet aggregation (GpIIIa), leukocyte adhesion (SELE), and renin-angiotensin system (AT1R, ACE, AGT). Allele frequencies for all the markers were compared between the two populations. Five allele frequencies differed between the two European countries: APOB 71lle (p≤0.001), SELE 98T (p≤0.001), SELE 128Arg (p ≤ 0.01), APOE ε4 (p ≤ 0.01) and MTHFR 677T (p ≤ 0.01), suggesting the existence of a north-south gradient in European allele frequencies. The other allele frequencies : APOC3 -482T, -455C, 1100T, 3175G, 3206G; LPL -93G, 9Asn, 291Ser; CETP 405Val; PON 192Arg ; ACE Del; AGT 235Thr; AT1R 1166C; CBS 278Thr, GpIIIa P1A2; Fibrinogen -455A, FV 506GIn and SELE 554Phe, were ...