- 251 A/T Single Nucleotide Polymorphism of Interleukin 8 and Susceptibility to Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide A well-characterized IL8 gene single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at position −251 A/T is the only one known to influence its expression and was associated with several diseases.

Aim: To investigate the possible correlation of the −251 A/T polymorphism of IL-8 gene with susceptibility to Acute Myocardial infarction and its correlation with Plasma IL-8 levels in two case-control populations, the Saudi and Egyptian populations.
Methods: 20 AMI patients and 20 asymptomatic controls from Saudi population in addition to 20 AMI patients and 20 asymptomatic controls from Egyptian population were included in the current study. The IL-8 plasma level was assayed using the human IL-8 Quantikine ELISA Kit. The IL-8 −251 A/T genotypes were determined by using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method (PCR-RFLP).
Results: Patients with AMI were in old age and had a significantly higher number of cardiovascular risk factors (i.e. male gender, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipedemia and smoking) with higher level of CKMB, troponin and plasma level of IL-8 with definite ECG diagnosis of AMI as compared to asymptomatic controls. The IL-8 -251 A/T polymorphism and Plasma IL-8 level were significantly higher in the AMI patients than asymptomatic controls (P < 0.001) in both Saudi and Egyptian populations with AA genotype carriers having significantly higher levels than AT or TT genotypes.
Conclusion: Our findings suggested that the IL-8 gene polymorphisms may play an important role in susceptibility of AMI, and patients with AA genotype have higher levels of IL-8 compared to individuals with AT or TT genotypes in that sample of both Saudi and Egyptian populations.