Investigation of correlation between apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism, and mirna 221/222 expression levels in atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is the major cause of death and disability in the world. This study aims to investigate the relations between atherosclerosis and Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene variations and complex mechanism of microRNAs (miRNA) especially miRNA 221 and miRNA222. ApoE genotyping and miRNA expression analysis were performed by using real-time polymerase chain reaction and lipid subfraction analysis assessed for blood samples from a group of patients with atherosclerosis (n=89) and control group (n=93). We observed that there was an association between low HDL and cardivascular risk (p=0,011). The frequency of the E3/E4 genotype was found to be significantly higher in patients compared to controls (p=0.029) and carrying this allele has increased the cardiovascular risk. Individuals carrying the E2/E3 genotype had significantly higher in control group (p=0,011). However carrying E2 allele was reduced the cardiovascular risk 10 times (p=0,006). Lipid analysis emerged that E/E3 genotype carriers had higher plasma cholesterol (p=0,012) and LDL levels (p=0,039). Furthermore risk estimating ratio, [chcf olesterol]/[HDL], higher in the E37E3 genotype group (p=0,0027). Carrying E2 allele had positive effect meanwhile E4 allele negative affects on lipid profiles. The miRNA expression analysis showed that miRNA 221 and miRNA222 expressions were lower in the patient group. By the ROC analysis, we observed that miRNA 221 and miRNA222 are candidate biomarkers for atherosclerosis (p=0,004 ve p=0,003). Also analysis showed that there are relations between miRNA122a and plasma TG (p=0,046) and VLDL (p=0,029) levels.