Differential Association of Uncoupling Protein 2 Polymorphisms with Pattern Identification among Korean Stroke Patients: A Diagnostic System in Traditional Korean Medicine

Abstract

Uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2), a mitochondrial protein present in many organs and cell types, is known to dissipate the proton gradient formed by the electron transport chain. Its function is correlated with predictive parameters, such as obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndromes. We analyzed the distribution of UCP2 polymorphisms in stroke patients diagnosed with one of the following four stroke subtypes based on the TKM standard pattern identification (PI): Qi-deficiency (QD), Dampness and Phlegm (D&P), Yin-deficiency (YD), and Fire and Heat (F&D). We studied a total of 1,786 stroke patients (397/QD, 645/D&P, 223/YD, and 522/F&D, 586/normal). Genotyping for the G-1957A, G-866A and A55V UCP2 polymorphisms was performed using the TaqMan. G-866A and A55V were significantly associated with the D&P and H&F subtypes. The frequency of subjects with the A allele of G-866A was significantly lower than the frequency of subjects with the GG type. The A55V polymorphism was also shown similar effect with G-866A in the dominant model. In contrast, no SNPs were shown to be associated with the QD or YD subtypes in this study. These results showed that the G-866A and A55V UCP2 polymorphisms may be genetic factors for specific PI types among Korean stroke patients.

Metabolic Profiles Distinguish Non-Dampness-Phlegm and Dampness-Phlegm Patterns among Korean Patients with Acute Cerebral Infarction

“…The mean age of the DP pattern patients was slightly higher than that of the non-DP pattern patients. BMI in body composition and total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol in serum parameters also showed higher levels in the DP pattern patients, which was similar to previous reports by Kim et al and Lim et al [3, 13]. The distribution of symptoms and signs according to “Korean Standard PIs for Stroke-III,” which are parameters to decide the pattern of stroke [1], is shown in Table 2.…”

“…Much of the emphasis of modern personalized medicine is based on the genetic background, or genotype, of each patient [3, 27]. Therefore, studies to establish relationships between PI and personalized medicine have been performed [10, 11, 13]. …”

“…Therefore, it is necessary to establish scientific evidence to aid accurate diagnosis based on PI. Previously, several studies showing relation between biological factors and PI were reported [7–13]. In particular, NPY and UCP2 and PON1, related with obesity and dyslipidemia, were significantly associated with DP pattern in Korean stroke patients [8, 9, 13].…”

Stroke in Traditional Korean Medicine: A Nine-Year Multicentre Community-Based Study in South Korea

“…Similar studies that show the association between genetic polymorphisms and PI were performed in TKM and TCM17242526. Specifically, the polymorphisms in UCP2 and UCP3, which were significantly associated with BMI and serum cholesterol in Korean female subjects, were also associated with DP pattern242728.…”

Association of the UCP-1 single nucleotide polymorphism A-3826G with the dampness-phlegm pattern among Korean stroke patients

“…PI still has limitations in consistency and reproducibility because of its high dependence on subjective diagnostic indicators. Second, although DP in TKM is generally considered as a major causative factor for obesity, DP is not the sole cause that induces obesity, and other pattern such as Fire-Heat has also potential to result in obesity [33]. Third, sample size was not enough to generalize the association between UCP-1 polymorphisms and DP.…”