A genetic variant of the glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit is associated with susceptibility to ischemic stroke in the Chinese population

Abstract Background A pathogenetic factor of ischemic stroke (IS) is oxidative stress. As a rate-limiting enzyme constituent in the glutathione synthetic pathway, the glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC) exerts a crucial effect on the redox homeostasis. Several studies have shown that...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Tao Liao, Yin-Hua Weng, Jiang He, Mei-Rong Chen, Yu Chen, Zhong-Quan Qi, Zheng-Mian Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-05-01
Series:European Journal of Medical Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40001-025-02688-z
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849687934421172224
author Tao Liao
Yin-Hua Weng
Jiang He
Mei-Rong Chen
Yu Chen
Zhong-Quan Qi
Zheng-Mian Zhang
author_facet Tao Liao
Yin-Hua Weng
Jiang He
Mei-Rong Chen
Yu Chen
Zhong-Quan Qi
Zheng-Mian Zhang
author_sort Tao Liao
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background A pathogenetic factor of ischemic stroke (IS) is oxidative stress. As a rate-limiting enzyme constituent in the glutathione synthetic pathway, the glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC) exerts a crucial effect on the redox homeostasis. Several studies have shown that variants of the GCLC gene are related to susceptibility to various diseases. However, the association between GCLC single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and IS susceptibility has rarely been explored in the Chinese population. This study investigated the correlation of GCLC SNPs with the IS susceptibility in a southern Han Chinese population. Methods In this study, 400 controls and 388 IS patients were enrolled, and clinical data were collected. Six polymorphisms at GCLC were genotyped using an SNPscan kit. Results The results revealed that rs12524494 GG at GCLC was linked to a markedly lowered probability of IS development (GG vs. AA: adjusted OR = 0.42, 95% CI, 0.20–0.91, p = 0.027; GG vs. AG + AA: adjusted OR = 0.41, 95% CI, 0.19–0.86, P = 0.018). Lipid analysis results revealed lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels (p = 0.017) along with higher triglyceride (TG) levels (p = 0.006) in IS patients with rs51008 GG. Moreover, higher homocysteine (Hcy) levels were detected in controls than in patients (p < 0.0001). Both controls and patients with rs12524494 GG had significantly lower Hcy levels than their counterparts who carried rs12524494 AA/AG (P < 0.05). Conclusions These results indicated that rs12524494 GG may be linked to decreasing IS susceptibility. The identified rs12524494 GG may serve as a potential biomarker for predicting IS susceptibility in the Chinese population, which could inform personalized medicine approaches for stroke prevention and treatment.
format Article
id doaj-art-2391b8bc3f054907a3cb1f656085705b
institution DOAJ
issn 2047-783X
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series European Journal of Medical Research
spelling doaj-art-2391b8bc3f054907a3cb1f656085705b2025-08-20T03:22:12ZengBMCEuropean Journal of Medical Research2047-783X2025-05-0130111110.1186/s40001-025-02688-zA genetic variant of the glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit is associated with susceptibility to ischemic stroke in the Chinese populationTao Liao0Yin-Hua Weng1Jiang He2Mei-Rong Chen3Yu Chen4Zhong-Quan Qi5Zheng-Mian Zhang6School of Medicine, Guangxi UniversitySchool of Clinical Medicine, Guilin Medical UniversityAcupuncture and Moxibustion and Tuina College, Guangxi University of Chinese MedicineSchool of Medicine, Guangxi UniversityDepartment of Rheumatology, Guilin Medical UniversitySchool of Medicine, Guangxi UniversityFujian Maternity and Child Health HospitalAbstract Background A pathogenetic factor of ischemic stroke (IS) is oxidative stress. As a rate-limiting enzyme constituent in the glutathione synthetic pathway, the glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC) exerts a crucial effect on the redox homeostasis. Several studies have shown that variants of the GCLC gene are related to susceptibility to various diseases. However, the association between GCLC single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and IS susceptibility has rarely been explored in the Chinese population. This study investigated the correlation of GCLC SNPs with the IS susceptibility in a southern Han Chinese population. Methods In this study, 400 controls and 388 IS patients were enrolled, and clinical data were collected. Six polymorphisms at GCLC were genotyped using an SNPscan kit. Results The results revealed that rs12524494 GG at GCLC was linked to a markedly lowered probability of IS development (GG vs. AA: adjusted OR = 0.42, 95% CI, 0.20–0.91, p = 0.027; GG vs. AG + AA: adjusted OR = 0.41, 95% CI, 0.19–0.86, P = 0.018). Lipid analysis results revealed lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels (p = 0.017) along with higher triglyceride (TG) levels (p = 0.006) in IS patients with rs51008 GG. Moreover, higher homocysteine (Hcy) levels were detected in controls than in patients (p < 0.0001). Both controls and patients with rs12524494 GG had significantly lower Hcy levels than their counterparts who carried rs12524494 AA/AG (P < 0.05). Conclusions These results indicated that rs12524494 GG may be linked to decreasing IS susceptibility. The identified rs12524494 GG may serve as a potential biomarker for predicting IS susceptibility in the Chinese population, which could inform personalized medicine approaches for stroke prevention and treatment.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40001-025-02688-zIschemic strokeGCLCSingle nucleotide polymorphismHomocysteineSusceptibility
spellingShingle Tao Liao
Yin-Hua Weng
Jiang He
Mei-Rong Chen
Yu Chen
Zhong-Quan Qi
Zheng-Mian Zhang
A genetic variant of the glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit is associated with susceptibility to ischemic stroke in the Chinese population
European Journal of Medical Research
Ischemic stroke
GCLC
Single nucleotide polymorphism
Homocysteine
Susceptibility
title A genetic variant of the glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit is associated with susceptibility to ischemic stroke in the Chinese population
title_full A genetic variant of the glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit is associated with susceptibility to ischemic stroke in the Chinese population
title_fullStr A genetic variant of the glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit is associated with susceptibility to ischemic stroke in the Chinese population
title_full_unstemmed A genetic variant of the glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit is associated with susceptibility to ischemic stroke in the Chinese population
title_short A genetic variant of the glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit is associated with susceptibility to ischemic stroke in the Chinese population
title_sort genetic variant of the glutamate cysteine ligase catalytic subunit is associated with susceptibility to ischemic stroke in the chinese population
topic Ischemic stroke
GCLC
Single nucleotide polymorphism
Homocysteine
Susceptibility
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s40001-025-02688-z
work_keys_str_mv AT taoliao ageneticvariantoftheglutamatecysteineligasecatalyticsubunitisassociatedwithsusceptibilitytoischemicstrokeinthechinesepopulation
AT yinhuaweng ageneticvariantoftheglutamatecysteineligasecatalyticsubunitisassociatedwithsusceptibilitytoischemicstrokeinthechinesepopulation
AT jianghe ageneticvariantoftheglutamatecysteineligasecatalyticsubunitisassociatedwithsusceptibilitytoischemicstrokeinthechinesepopulation
AT meirongchen ageneticvariantoftheglutamatecysteineligasecatalyticsubunitisassociatedwithsusceptibilitytoischemicstrokeinthechinesepopulation
AT yuchen ageneticvariantoftheglutamatecysteineligasecatalyticsubunitisassociatedwithsusceptibilitytoischemicstrokeinthechinesepopulation
AT zhongquanqi ageneticvariantoftheglutamatecysteineligasecatalyticsubunitisassociatedwithsusceptibilitytoischemicstrokeinthechinesepopulation
AT zhengmianzhang ageneticvariantoftheglutamatecysteineligasecatalyticsubunitisassociatedwithsusceptibilitytoischemicstrokeinthechinesepopulation
AT taoliao geneticvariantoftheglutamatecysteineligasecatalyticsubunitisassociatedwithsusceptibilitytoischemicstrokeinthechinesepopulation
AT yinhuaweng geneticvariantoftheglutamatecysteineligasecatalyticsubunitisassociatedwithsusceptibilitytoischemicstrokeinthechinesepopulation
AT jianghe geneticvariantoftheglutamatecysteineligasecatalyticsubunitisassociatedwithsusceptibilitytoischemicstrokeinthechinesepopulation
AT meirongchen geneticvariantoftheglutamatecysteineligasecatalyticsubunitisassociatedwithsusceptibilitytoischemicstrokeinthechinesepopulation
AT yuchen geneticvariantoftheglutamatecysteineligasecatalyticsubunitisassociatedwithsusceptibilitytoischemicstrokeinthechinesepopulation
AT zhongquanqi geneticvariantoftheglutamatecysteineligasecatalyticsubunitisassociatedwithsusceptibilitytoischemicstrokeinthechinesepopulation
AT zhengmianzhang geneticvariantoftheglutamatecysteineligasecatalyticsubunitisassociatedwithsusceptibilitytoischemicstrokeinthechinesepopulation