Research Article The eNOS T786C polymorphism is not related to atherosclerosis and cofactors in a Brazilian population

Atherosclerosis is a chronic multifactorial inflammatory disease that evolves in response to aggression of the endothelium, causing plaque formation in large or medium-sized arteries. Various cofactors can accelerate the evolution of this pathology, such as systemic arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus. Given that nitrous oxide is a potent vasodilator and that its synthesis depends on the activity of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), we examined a possible association of the eNOS-T786C polymorphism (which reduces nitrous oxide synthesis) in atherosclerotic patients who have symptoms of hypertension, dyslipidemia or diabetes. We made a case-control study of two groups of 100 atherosclerotic patients, one with at least one of the above symptoms and the other a control group with atherosclerosis, but with none of the above symptoms. The samples were submitted to DNA extraction, then to PCR and analyzed on agarose gels. We found no significant association of the T786C (eNOS) polymorphism with the cofactors hypertension, dyslipidemia or diabetes. In addition, no