Examining an Association of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms with Hyperuricemia in Chinese Flight Attendants

Abstract

Jianpin Ye,1,* Zhiwei Zeng,2,* Yuxian Chen,3 Zhenkun Wu,3 Qingwei Yang,4 Tao Sun2 1Outpatient Department Laboratory, Xiamen Aviation, Xiamen, Fujian, People’s Republic of China; 2Center for Precision Medicine, School of Medicine and School of Biomedical Sciences, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, Fujian, People’s Republic of China; 3Taokang Institute of Neuro Medicine, Xiamen, Fujian, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Tao Sun, Center for Precision Medicine, School of Medicine and School of Biomedical Sciences, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, Fujian, People’s Republic of China, Email [email protected]: Both genetic and environmental factors strongly affect serum uric acid (SUA) concentrations. The incidence of hyperuricemia tends to be younger in the Chinese population. In particular, we have found a high prevalence of hyperuricemia among Chinese flight attendants, aged from 20 to 40, in our survey. This study aims to evaluate whether there is an association between gene polymorphisms and hyperuricemia among Chinese flight attendants.Methods: A total of 532 flight attendants with high and normal serum uric acid levels were recruited. Allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (AS-PCR) was performed using blood samples of enrolled subjects.Results: Previous studies have reported single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are tightly associated with uric acid levels. Among them, six SNPs that are strongly associated with SUA or gout in Asians, for instance ABCG2 (rs2231142, rs72552713 and rs2231137), GCKR (rs780094), SLC2A9 (rs1014290) and SLC17A1 (rs1183201), were selected for AS-PCR analyses. We found that SNPs such as ABCG2 rs2231142, GCKR rs780094 and SLC2A9 rs1014290 are strongly associated with hyperuricemia in male flight attendants, and SLC2A9 rs1014290 among female flight attendants.Conclusion: Our study provides evidences of an association between SNPs and hyperuricemia in the Chinese flight attendants, and highlights the significance of improving diagnostics and prevention of disease development in uric acid metabolism disorders and gout using these SNPs.Keywords: serum uric acid, hyperuricemia, single nucleotide polymorphisms, flight attendants

Keywords

• serum uric acid
• hyperuricemia
• single nucleotide polymorphisms
• flight attendants.