rs1234313 and rs45454293 are risk factors of cerebral arterial thrombosis, large artery atherosclerosis, and carotid plaque in the Han Chinese population: a case-control study

BACKGROUND: Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Stenosis or blockage of an artery from atherosclerosis can cause insufficient cerebral blood supply, which leads to ischemic stroke. It has been reported that the polymorphisms of TNFSF4 (tumor necrosis factor super family member 4) are associated with multiple autoimmune diseases. However, it is still unclear whether TNFSF4 gene polymorphisms are associated with ischemic stroke in the Han Chinese population. Here we analyzed the association between TNFSF4 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and cerebral arterial thrombosis in the Han Chinese population. METHOD: We consecutively recruited 481 patients with cerebral arterial thrombosis and 538 healthy controls. Neck ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were used to evaluate large artery atherosclerosis (LAA) and small vessel disease (SVD), as well as the thickness and calcification of carotid artery. DNA was purified from the peripheral blood samples. TNFSF4 SNPs, rs1234313 and rs45454293, were genotyped using PCR. RESULTS: rs1234313 SNP had a significant correlation with the LAA and SVD subtypes in allelic (G vs A), dominate (GG/GA vs AA) and genotypic (GA vs AA; GG vs AA) models, as well as with the calcification of carotid plaque in dominant (GG/GA vs AA, p = 0.022) and genotypic (GA vs AA, p = 0.01) models. rs45454293 SNP had a significant correlation with the LAA and SVD subtypes in allelic (G vs A) and genotypic models, as well as with the thick carotid plaque in allelic (G vs A, p = 0.01) model. CONCLUSION: TNFSF4 SNPs, rs1234313 and rs45454293, are associated with the risk of specific subtypes of cerebral arterial thrombosis in the Han Chinese population.