Sequencing of alpha-globin genes of 18 Sardinian heterozygotes for the Hb G-Philadelphia [alpha 68(E17)Asn-->Lys] variant, with four active alpha genes and circulating level of the variant of about 27%, showed the AAC-->AAG change at codon 68 of the alpha 2-globin gene (alpha(G)alpha/alpha alpha). Two heterozygotes with level of about 37% were the carriers of the same mutation on the same alpha 2 gene, and of the alpha 2 alpha 1 hybrid gene, because of the 3.7-kb deletion, in trans (alpha(G)alpha/-alpha(3.7)). In Black people, the same C-->G mutation occurs on the hybrid gene (-alpha(G)3.7), whereas in Caucasians the Lys for Asn change is because of the C-->A transversion occurring on the alpha 2 gene of a normal alpha alpha arrangement. The identification of the C-->G mutation on the normal alpha alpha chromosome points to an undescribed genotype for this rather common variant, which is probably because of the high rate of recombination between the duplicated alpha-globin genes.

Although the role of environmental factors in the development of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has been clearly established, the role of genetic factors is still undefined. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between various gene polymorphisms in the haemostatic system and the risk of myocardial infarction in a very genetic restricted area population of Sardinian young adults with AMI. The study case-control involved 71 patients who had survived a first MI at a mean age of 47,2 years and 150 healthy subjects. No differences in the allele or genotype frequencies were seen between the study groups for the fibrinogen, prothrombin, factor V, factor VII, vWF, TM, PAI-1, TPO gene, and PLA and HPA-2 genes polymorphisms. Indeed differences statistically significant were detected for A5709G in the TPO gene (P= 0,041), and I/D dimorphism in the eNOS gene (P= 0,016). We therefore conclude that among all the investigated polymorphisms only the 5709G and eNOS4a alleles seem to confer protection against MI in the young age of Sardinian people.

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