ADAM8 and its single nucleotide polymorphism 2662 T/G are associated with advanced atherosclerosis and fatal myocardial infarction: Tampere vascular study.

Objective: Previously, we scanned all 23,000 human genes for differential expression between normal and atherosclerotic tissues and found the involvement of ADAM8.

Methods: We investigated the expression of ADAM8 mRNA and protein level in human atherosclerotic tissues and non-atherosclerotic internal thoracic arteries as well as the association of ADAM8 2662 T/G single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) with the extent of coronary atherosclerosis and with the risk of fatal myocardial infarction.

Results: ADAM8 mRNA was up-regulated in carotid, aortic, and femoral atherosclerotic plaques (n=24) when compared with non-atherosclerotic arteries. ADAM8 protein expression was increased in advanced atherosclerotic plaques as compared to control vessels wherein it was localized to macrophages and smooth muscle cells The G allele carriers of the ADAM8 2662 T/G SNP had significantly larger areas of fibrotic, calcified, and complicated plaques in coronary arteries (P=0.027, P=0.011, and P=0.011, respectively) and significantly higher occurrence of myocardial infarction (MI) (P=0.004) and fatal pre-hospital MI (P=0.003) than did the TT homozygotes.

Conclusion: ADAM8 is a promising candidate to be involved in atherosclerosis, and its 2662 T/G allelic variant significantly associates with advanced atherosclerotic lesion areas and MI.