Higher DNA methylation of ABO gene promoter is associated with acute myocardial infarction in a hospital-based population in Karachi

Hypermethylation of ABO gene promoter and AMI

  • Farzana Abubakar Yousuf
  • Khawar Kazmi
  • Junaid Iqbal
  • Nikhat Ahmed
  • Mohammad Perwaiz Iqbal Aga Khan University
Keywords: Acute myocardial infarction, Coronary artery disease, ABO gene promoter, DNA methylation, Pakistani population

Abstract

Objective: To find out if there is any relationship of methylation status of ABO gene promoter with the risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in a hospital-based Pakistani population in Karachi, Pakistan.

Methods: A case control study comprising of 39 adult AMI patients (both males and females; age range 30-70 years) and 39 normal healthy controls (both males and females and similar age range) nested in a large study (to see the relationship of ABO genotypes with AMI) was designed to investigate the methylation status of ABO gene promoter and its association with AMI. The study was carried out at the Aga Khan University, Karachi during July 2018 to June 2019. DNA isolated from samples of AMI patients and normal healthy controls were converted into bisulphite DNA using a kit method. Methylation specific polymerase chain reaction was carried out to determine the methylation status of ABO gene promoter in both cases and controls. Logistic regression was used to find out any association between increased methylation status of ABO gene promoter and risk of AMI.

Results: A significantly higher percentage of DNA methylation of the ABO gene promoter was observed in AMI patients as compared to normal healthy controls (82.1% vs. 35.9%; p value <0.001). This higher methylation status of ABO gene promoter was associated with AMI and the odds of AMI in this population were more than 6-fold in subjects with methylated gene promoter compared to those with unmethylated gene promoter after adjusting with age and waist circumference [AOR (95% CI) = 6.27 (1.76-22.3); p value = 0.005].

Conclusion: The ABO gene promoter’s hypermethylation appears to be increasing the risk of AMI in a hospital-based Pakistani population in Karachi, Pakistan.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.3.1406

How to cite this:
Yousuf FA, Kazmi K, Iqbal J, Ahmed N, Iqbal MP. Higher DNA methylation of ABO gene promoter is associated with acute myocardial infarction in a hospital-based population in Karachi. Pak J Med Sci. 2020;36(3):505-510.
doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.3.1406

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Published
2020-03-04
How to Cite
Yousuf, F. A., Kazmi, K., Iqbal, J., Ahmed, N., & Iqbal, M. P. (2020). Higher DNA methylation of ABO gene promoter is associated with acute myocardial infarction in a hospital-based population in Karachi: Hypermethylation of ABO gene promoter and AMI. Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, 36(3). https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.3.1406
Section
Original Articles