Key Human Blood Cells Genes Involved in Atherogenesis and Metabolism of High Density Lipoproteins

A search for genes involved in the molecular mechanisms of atherogenesis and the atheroprotective role of HDL has been carried out to study these processes on the transcriptome level. Bioinformatic analysis of gene expression in peripheral blood of patients with coronary artery stenosis using data (GSE20129, GSE12288, GSE10195, GSE20686) from the GEO genome-wide studies database revealed 947 differentially expressed genes. Of these, 66 genes associated with atherosclerotic coronary artery disease, underlying coronary heart disease (CHD) and myocardial infarction, have been selected. We added to this list the genes for which the association with coronary artery atherosclerosis was determined by the authors of abovementioned genome-wide researches using bioinformatic algorithms (19 genes) or RT-PCR (67 genes), as well as 21 genes involved in HDL metabolism according to Reactome database. Analysis of the resulting list of genes revealed that 60 of them were took part in lipoprotein and lipid metabolism, reverse cholesterol transport, and inflammation. We suggest that these genes are involved in HDL metabolism and atherogenesis in CHD patients. Evaluation of their differential expression in human peripheral blood cells can be applied for further study of the molecular mechanisms of coronary artery atherosclerosis and the atheroprotective role of HDL.