Genetic Variants of CD40 Gene Are Associated with Coronary Artery Disease and Blood Lipid Levels

Objectives. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of CD40 and CXCR4 genes polymorphisms on CAD susceptibility and the blood lipid levels and history of cardiovascular risk factors in a Chinese Han population. Materials and Methods. A total of 583 unrelated patients with CAD and 540 controls were recruited. Two tag SNPs (rs4239702 and rs1535045) at the CD40 locus and one tag SNP (rs2228014) at the CXCR4 locus were genotyped using the SEQUENOM Mass-ARRAY system. Results. After adjusting the risk factors, the frequency of rs1535045-T allele was also higher in patients than controls. Haplotype analysis showed that the rs4239702(C)-rs1535045(T) haplotype was associated with CAD. People with rs4239702-TT genotype had higher blood lipid levels in case group while it was not in the control group. History of cardiovascular risk factors showed no association for the three SNPs in case group and control group. Conclusions. rs1535045 in CD40 gene is likely to be associated with CAD in the Chinese Han population. rs4239702(C)-rs1535045(T) haplotype was associated with CAD. Only in CAD patients, the blood lipid level of patients with rs4239702-TT genotype was higher than other patients. CXCR4 gene may not relate to CAD.