Sex Differences of the Natriuretic Peptide Polymorphism Associated With Angiographic Coronary Atherosclerosis

BACKGROUND Polymorphisms within natriuretic peptide (NP) genes have been associated with clinical outcomes for cardiovascular disease (CVD), but no previous study has compared the effect of these polymorphisms between men and women. This study aimed to investigate the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in key genes of the NP system and coronary angiographic outcomes, with the focus on the sexual dimorphism in the effects of these SNPs. METHODS Patients undergoing clinically indicated coronary angiography (n = 513, 328 men and 185 women) were consented and genotyped for NPPA rs5065, NPPB rs198389 and NPR2 rs10758325. Patients were stratified into having normal coronaries, non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) or obstructive CAD, based on the highest stenosis in any epicardial artery. Average luminal narrowing across all four arteries was derived to represent the overall atherosclerotic burden. RESULTS The frequency of NPPB rs198389 AA genotype was significantly higher in women with obstructive CAD (P = 0.014). The same association was not observed in males. With respect to atherosclerotic burden, an association was found between the AA genotype and average luminal narrowing in women (P = 0.005), but not in men. CONCLUSIONS The current study identified an association between an SNP of the NPPB gene and coronary atherosclerotic burden through angiographic evidence in women but not in men. These results suggest that B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) may have more important involvement in the development of CAD in women compared to men, and as such, genotyping of the NPPB gene may serve as a potential biomarker to identify women with high risk for CAD.