The microsatellite polymorphism of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 gene promoter has been shown to be associated with the susceptibility to ischemic event, including coronary artery disease (CAD), myocardial infarction, and peripheral vascular disease. We aimed to examine whether the length of (GT)n repeats in HO-1 gene promoter is associated with ischemic stroke in people with CAD risk factors, especially low level of HDL. Methods: A total of 183 consecutive firstever ischemic stroke inpatients and | Bai et al. Journal of Biomedical Science 2010 17 12 http content 17 1 12 I NSC The cost of publication in Journal of Biomedical Science is bourne by the National Science Council Taiwan. JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH Open Access Shorter GT repeat polymorphism in the heme oxygenase-1 gene promoter has protective effect on ischemic stroke in dyslipidemia patients Chyi-Huey Bai1 2 Jiunn-Rong Chen3 Hou-Chang Chiu4 Chia-Chi Chou5 Lee-Young Chau 46 and Wen-Harn Pan 46 Abstract Background The microsatellite polymorphism of heme oxygenase HO -1 gene promoter has been shown to be associated with the susceptibility to ischemic event including coronary artery disease CAD myocardial infarction and peripheral vascular disease. We aimed to examine whether the length of GT n repeats in HO-1 gene promoter is associated with ischemic stroke in people with CAD risk factors especially low level of HDL. Methods A total of 183 consecutive firstever ischemic stroke inpatients and 164 non-stroke patients were screened for the length of GT n repeats in HO-1 promoter. The long L and short S genotype are defined as the averaged repeat number 26 and 26 respectively. Results Stroke patients tended to have more proportions of hypertension diabetics and genotype L than those of genotype S. Patients with genotype L of HO-1 gene promoter have higher stroke risk in comparison with genotype S especially in dyslipidemia individuals. The significant differences on stroke risk in multivariate odds ratios were found especially in people with low HDL-C levels. Conclusions Subjects carrying longer GT n repeats in HO-1 gene promoter may have greater susceptibility to develop cerebral ischemic only in the presence of low HDL-C suggesting the protective effects in HO-1 genotype S in the process of ischemic stroke particularly in subjects with poor HDL-C status. Background Heme oxygenese HO is a rate-limiting enzyme in heme degradation leading to the liberation of free iron carbon
