Correlation of von Willebrand factor gene polymorphism and coronary heart disease.

ABSTRACT

To characterize von Willebrand factor (vWF) gene polymorphisms at site A1381T and the correlation of plasma vWF levels with coronary heart disease, the vWF genotypes at site A1381T were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in patients diagnosed with coronary heart disease and normal controls (n=110 per group), and plasma vWF levels were measured by enzyme­linked immunosorbent assay. The results showed that the plasma vWF levels were higher in the experimental group than in the control group and had no association with gender (t=11.69, p<0.05). In the experimental group, the plasma vWF levels were higher in the patients with the AG genotype than in those with the GG genotype (p<0.05). In the control group, the plasma vWF levels of the subjects with blood type O were significantly lower than those of the individuals with other blood types (p<0.05). In the experimental group, all blood types had significantly higher plasma vWF levels than the control group and the difference was significant among different blood types (p<0.05). In summary, vWF gene polymorphisms at site A1381T were not associated with coronary heart disease, but plasma vWF levels were influenced by vWF gene polymorphisms at site A1381T, blood type and coronary heart disease.