Association of G-protein coupled purinergic receptor P2Y2 with ischemic stroke in a Han Chinese population of North China

Ischemic stroke susceptibility associated with ALPK1 single nucleotide polymorphisms by inhibiting URAT1 in uric acid hemostasis

OBJECTIVES

Ischemic stroke (IS) prevalence rising annually, the necessity of discovering non-interventional genetic influences is progressing. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) plays a pivotal role in stable inheritance of disease susceptibility. Based on the relationship between Alpha- Kinase 1 (ALPK1) and traditional IS risk factors especially hyperuricemia, our study investigated the association and function of ALPK1 SNPs with IS susceptibility.

METHODS

A case-control study of 1539 patients and 933 controls from northeast China was conducted. Genotyping information of ALPK1 rs2074379 and rs2074388 was collected. Four types of plasmids including rs2074379/rs2074388 G/G, A/G, G/A, and A/A were transfected into 293T cells to observe ALPK1 and SLC22A12 expression. Possible ALPK1 structures of different SNPs were predicted online.

RESULTS

Genotype GG (OR = 1.371, CI = 1.029-1.828, P = 0.031) and GA (OR = 1.326, CI = 1.110-1.584, P = 0.002) of rs2074379 and GA of rs2074388 (OR = 1.359, CI = 1.137-1.624, P = 0.001) were found significantly susceptible to IS, with G allele on sites to be a risk allele. Rs2074379 had a multiplicative interaction with hyperuricemia (OR = 1.637, CI = 1.157-2.315, P = 0.005). Uric acid levels differed in genotypes (P < 0.001). The expression of ALPK1 (P < 0.01) and SLC22A12 in membrane urate transporter 1 (URAT1) protein (P < 0.05) functionally changed with G allele on either site. With glycine changing into aspartic acid at rs2074388, the protein secondary structure changed, but the ALPK1 protein subtype remained still.

CONCLUSIONS

ALPK1 rs2074379 and rs2074388 SNPs were functionally associated with IS susceptibility. The wild allele progressed IS risk probably by reducing ALPK1 expression and inhibiting URAT1 raising the uric acid level, contributing to further exploration of pathogenetic mechanisms of stroke. Chinese Clinical Trial Registration number: ChiCTR-COC-17013559.

Role of activin receptor-like kinase 1 in vascular development and cerebrovascular diseases

Activin receptor-like kinase 1 (ALK1) is a transmembrane serine/threonine receptor kinase of the transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) receptor superfamily. ALK1 is specifically expressed in vascular endothelial cells, and its dynamic changes are closely related to the proliferation of endothelial cells, the recruitment of pericytes to blood vessels, and functional differentiation during embryonic vascular development. The pathophysiology of many cerebrovascular diseases is today understood as a disorder of endothelial cell function and an imbalance in the proportion of vascular cells. Indeed, mutations in ALK1 and its co-receptor endoglin are major genetic risk factors for vascular arteriovenous malformation. Many studies have shown that ALK1 is closely related to the development of cerebral aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, and cerebral atherosclerosis. In this review, we describe the various roles of ALK1 in the regulation of angiogenesis and in the maintenance of cerebral vascular homeostasis, and we discuss its relationship to functional dysregulation in cerebrovascular diseases. This review should provide new perspectives for basic research on cerebrovascular diseases and offer more effective targets and strategies for clinical diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.