Genetics of cardiovascular disease.

Linkage studies and genome-wide linkage analyses, which use polymorphic DNA markers throughout the genome, provide a useful method for identifying genes related to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Many genome-wide linkage studies have contributed to identify quantitative genetic loci influencing variables involved in the pathogenesis of CVD.Meta-analyses of genetic studies provide the measure of association studies, so contributing to identify candidate genes which might influence the susceptibility to the disease. Really, candidate genes have been investigated, in relation to lipid metabolism (APOE), fibrinolytic proteins (PAI-1), renin-angiotensyn system (ACE) and homocysteine metabolism (MTHFR). Recently, genome-wide panels of common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), based on the use of SNPs spread throughout the genome, are also becoming available. This approach contributes to finely investigate the gene-gene and gene-environment interactions in CVD, and to look for the involvement of genetic polymorphisms in drug response.