Association of CASZ1 genetic variants with stroke risk in the Chinese population

Effects of CASZ1, WNT2B and PTPRG SNPs on stroke susceptibility in the Chinese Han population

BACKGROUND

Stroke is an important cause of death and disability worldwide, ranking second in the cause of death, and it is thought to be related to genetic factors. The purpose of our study is to investigate the association between CASZ1, WNT2B and PTPRG single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and stroke risk in the Chinese population.

METHODS

We recruited 1418 volunteers, comprised of 710 stroke cases and 708 controls in this study. We used MassARRAY iPLEX GOLD method to genotype the three SNPs on CASZ1, WNT2B and PTPRG. Logistic regression was used to analyse the association between these SNPs and stroke, and odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were then calculated. What's more, the interactions among SNPs were predicted by multi-factor dimensionality reduction (MDR) analysis.

RESULTS

This research demonstrated that CASZ1 rs880315 and PTPRG rs704341 were associated with reduced stroke susceptibility. More precisely, CASZ1 rs880315 was associated with reduced stroke susceptibility in people aged ≤64 years and women. PTPRG rs704341 was associated with reduced stroke susceptibility in people aged >64 years, women, non-smokers and non-drinkers. Conversely, WNT2B rs12037987 was related to elevated stroke susceptibility in people aged >64 years, women and non-smokers. In addition, CASZ1 rs880315, WNT2B rs12037987 and PTPRG rs704341 had a strong redundancy relationship.

CONCLUSION

Our study concludes that CASZ1 rs880315, WNT2B rs12037987 and PTPRG rs704341 are associated with stroke, and the study provides a basis for assessing genetic variants associated with stroke risk in the Han Chinese population.

Role of the CASZ1 transcription factor in tissue development and disease

The zinc finger transcription factor gene, CASZ1/Castor (Castor zinc finger 1), initially identified in Drosophila, plays a critical role in neural, cardiac, and cardiovascular development, exerting a complex, multifaceted influence on cell fate and tissue morphogenesis. During neurogenesis, CASZ1 exhibits dynamic expression from early embryonic development to the perinatal period, constituting a key regulator in this process. Additionally, CASZ1 controls the transition between neurogenesis and gliomagenesis. During human cardiovascular system development, CASZ1 is essential for cardiomyocyte differentiation, cardiac morphogenesis, and vascular morphology homeostasis and formation. The deletion or inactivation of CASZ1 mutations can lead to human developmental diseases or tumors, including congenital heart disease, cardiovascular disease, and neuroblastoma. CASZ1 can be used as a biomarker for disease prevention and diagnosis as well as a prognostic indicator for cancer. This review explores the unique functions of CASZ1 in tissue morphogenesis and associated diseases, offering new insights for elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying diseases and identifying potential therapeutic targets for disease prevention and treatment.