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

Background: The PlA2 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 PlA 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 PlA GPIIIa genotypes was performed by polymerase chain reaction of genomic DNA, followed by NciI digestion and agarose gel electrophoresis. Results: The genotype distribution of the PlA GPIIIa polymorphism in our study group was PlA1/A1—75%, PlA1/A2—24% and PlA2/A2—1% with PlA1 and PlA2 allele frequencies of 0.87 and 0.13, respectively. The prevalence of the homozygous PlA1/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 PlA2/A2 or PlA1/A2 patients for having multiple-vessel CAD was 0.46 (95% CI 0.27–0.77, P<0.01). The mean CAD score for PlA1/A1 patients was significantly higher in comparison to PlA2/A2 and PlA1/A2 patients (7.58±2.20 and 6.98±2.37, respectively, P<0.05). Conclusions: Our results suggest, that the PlA1/A1 genotype of PlA GPIIIa polymorphism is associated with more severe CAD in male Caucasian patients from the north region of Poland.