SCD rs41290540 single-nucleotide polymorphism modifies miR-498 binding and is associated with a decreased risk of coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of coronary artery disease (CAD), and stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) is associated with atherosclerosis. However, the associations between variants of SCD and CAD have not yet been decided.

METHODS: This study analyzed SCD rs41290540 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the 3'-untranslated region for an association with a risk of CAD among the Chinese Han population. CAD patients and controls were genotyped for SNP rs41290540 in SCD by SNaPshot. The binding affinity of miR-498 to rs41290540 was determined by a luciferase assay, and SCD expression was assessed using Western blot.

RESULTS: A total of 969 CAD patients and 1,095 control subjects were involved in this study. The SCD rs41290540CC genotype is associated with a decreased risk of CAD compared with the AA genotype. Furthermore, the CC genotype is associated with lower serum total cholesterol (TC). Western blot analysis demonstrated that miR-498 suppressed the expression of SCD. A luciferase assay confirmed that rs41290540 A>C variation in the SCD 3'UTR inhibits miR-498 binding.

CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that the SCD rs41290540 may be associated with a decreased risk of CAD, lower serum TC, and decreased miR-498 binding.