Clinical Significance of Platelet Antigen 1/ Platelet Antigen 2 (PlA1/A2) Polymorphism of Integrin β3 (ITGB3) Gene in Coronary Artery Disease

Abstract

Platelet activation and aggregation play a crucial role in the process of arterial thrombosis and hence in the development of CAD. The cellular events leading to platelet activation and aggregation are mediated by the binding of fibrinogen to the glycoprotein IIb-IIIa receptor of the platelets. GPIIb (αIIb) and GPIIIa (β3) are the non-covalently bound subunits of the single major platelet membrane GPIIb-IIIa (integrin αIIbβ3). The beta subunit of the platelet integrin (GPIIIa) is coded by the integrin β3 (ITGB3) gene. It was suggested that a particular single nucleotide polymorphism in ITGB3 referred to as platelet antigen 1/ platelet antigen 2 (PlA1/ PlA2) (rs5918), was associated with CAD. In the light of the previous data, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between PlA1/PlA2 polymorphism of ITGB3 gene and CAD. The study was conducted on 55 patients diagnosed as CAD cases based on history and clinical examination together with coronary angiography. In addition, 55 age and sex matched healthy subjects with negative coronary angiography results were included as healthy controls. Detection of PlA1/A2 polymorphism of ITGB3 gene was performed by PCR- RFLP technique.