Abstract
Background: The T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 4 gene (TIMD4) rs6882076 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) has been associated with serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides (TG) levels, but the results are inconsistent. Moreover, little is known about such association in Chinese populations. The aim of this study was to detect the association of the TIMD4 rs6882076 SNP and serum lipid levels and the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and ischemic stroke (IS) in a Southern Chinese Han population. Methods: Genotypes of the TIMD4 rs6882076 SNP in 1765 unrelated subjects (CHD, 581; IS, 559 and healthy controls, 625) were determined by the Snapshot Technology. Results: The genotypic and allelic frequencies of the TIMD4 rs6882076 SNP were different between the CHD/IS patients and controls (P < 0.05 for all). The subjects with CT/TT genotypes were associated with decreased risk of CHD (P = 0.014 for CT/TT vs. CC genotypes, P = 0.010 for T vs. C alleles) and IS (P = 0.003 for CT/TT vs. CC genotypes; P = 0.016 for T vs. C alleles). The T allele carriers in healthy controls were also associated with decreased levels of serum TG. Conclusions: The results of the present study suggest that the TIMD4 rs6882076 SNP is associated with decreased risk of CHD and IS in our study population. It is likely to decrease the CHD and IS risk by reducing serum TG levels.