CCL2 Polymorphisms Are Associated With Serum Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 Levels and Myocardial Infarction in the Framingham Heart Study

Abstract
Background— Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is a chemokine strongly implicated in promoting atherosclerosis in animal models, but human genetic evidence is contradictory. Methods and Results— We analyzed the association of genetic variation in the MCP-1 gene (CCL2) with prevalent myocardial infarction and serum MCP-1 levels in the community-based Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort (50% women; mean age, 62 years). MCP-1 levels and CCL2 genotypes were determined in 3236 and 1797 individuals, respectively. Significant clinical correlates of MCP-1 levels were age, cigarette smoking, triglycerides, body mass index, and waist-to-hip ratio. The MCP-1-2578G allele located in the CCL2 regulatory region was significantly associated with both higher serum MCP-1 levels in a recessive genetic model (358±10 versus 328±3 pg/mL; P=0.002) and higher prevalence of myocardial infarction in a dominant genetic model (adjusted odds ratio, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.2 to 3.3; P=0.005). We also defined the linkage disequilib...