Ddh145 1341..1351

Oxidation of low density lipoproteins is an initial step of atherogenesis that generates pro-inflammatory phospholipids, including platelet-activating factor (PAF) and its analogs. PAF is degraded by PAFacetylhydrolase (PAF-AH), a circulating enzyme having both proand anti-inflammatory activities. PAF-AH activity has been postulated to be a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD); however, whether PAF-AH has a causal role or is simply a marker of risk is unclear. The aim of this study was to relate the variability of the genes encoding PAF-AH (PLA2G7 ) and the PAF-receptor (PTAFR ) to the risk of CAD and its complications. All polymorphisms located in putatively functional regions were investigated in a prospective cohort of CAD patients (n 5 1314) and a group of healthy controls (n 5 485). The whole gene variability was investigated in relation to case–control status, prospective cardiovascular outcome and plasma PAF-AH levels by means of haplotype analyses. All analyses indicated an effect of the PLA2G7/A379V polymorphism independent of the other polymorphisms. The V allele was less frequent in CAD patients than in controls and was associated with a lower risk of future cardiovascular events, suggesting that this allele might be protective against the development of CAD. The V allele was also associated with a weak increase of plasma PAF-AH activity that was unlikely to explain the protective effect of the allele on risk. A more likely interpretation is that the A379V polymorphism might modify the enzyme function towards a more antiatherogenic form. Polymorphisms of the PTAFR gene were not related to any phenotype.