GCK Gene-Body Hypomethylation Is Associated with the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease

Abstract EN

Objectives.

Glucokinase encoded by GCK is a key enzyme that facilitates phosphorylation of glucose to glucose-6-phosphate.

Variants of GCK gene were shown to be associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and coronary heart disease (CHD).

The goal of this study was to investigate the contribution of GCK gene-body methylation to the risk of CHD.

Design and Methods.

36 patients (18 males and 18 females) and 36 age- and sex-matched controls were collected for the current methylation research.

DNA methylation level of the CpG island (CGI) region on the GCK gene-body was measured through the sodium bisulfite DNA conversion and pyrosequencing technology.

Results.

Our results indicated that CHD cases have a much lower methylation level (49.77 ± 6.43%) compared with controls (54.47 ± 7.65%, P=0.018).

In addition, GCK gene-body methylation was found to be positively associated with aging in controls (r=0.443, P=0.010).

Conclusions.

Our study indicated that the hypomethylation of GCK gene-body was significantly associated with the risk of CHD.

Aging correlates with an elevation of GCK methylation in healthy controls.