Objective: To investigate the association between genetic polymorphism of T-786C in promoter region, 894G→T at exon 7 of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene and osteoporosis (OP) disease.
Method: The genotypes of 350 patients with osteoporosis and 350 healthy controls were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing. The allele ratios and genotype distributions in the patients and controls were assessed using the Pearson χ(2)-test. Odds ratios (OR) with two tailed P-values and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated as a measure of the association of the eNOS genotypes with OP.
Result: the C allele distribution frequency of T-786C eNOS gene in OP group (8.5%) was significantly higher than that in control group (3.9%), relative risk (OR) of OP associated with the CC genotype was 2.68 (95% CI, 0.92 to 1.37). The T allele frequency of 894G→T at exon 7 in eNOS gene in OP group (11.5%) was also significantly higher than that in control group (5.2%), OR of OP associated with the TT genotype was 2.60 (all P<0.05).
Conclusion: The analysis results indicated that both T-786C in promoter region and 894G→T at exon 7 of eNOS gene might be genetic predisposal factors of OP, these polymorphisms may be independently or synergic with other loci to have an impact on the incidence of OP.
Keywords: 894G→T; T-786C; endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene; osteoporosis; polymorphism.