Association study: SLC6A18 gene and myocardial infarction.

SLC6A18 (solute carrier family 6, member 18) acts as a specific transporter for neurotransmitters, amino acids and osmolytes such as betaine, taurine and creatine. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the human SLC6A18 gene and myocardial infarction (MI) in a Japanese population. Using 5 single nucleotide polymorphisms in the SLC6A18 gene (rs7728646, rs4975625, rs12522796, rs4975623 and rs7447815) we performed a case-control study based on each SNP and haplotype in 289 MI patients and 223 controls. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the frequency of the CC+CG genotype of rs7447815 was significantly higher in all patients and the male MI patients than in controls (P=0.005, P=0.036, respectively). The frequency of the T-C haplotype (rs7728646-rs7447815) was significantly higher for the MI patients when compared with controls (P=0.037). These results suggest that SLC6A18 or neighboring genes are associated with increased susceptibility to MI.