Correlation of the mTOR gene expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes with the degree of coronary artery stenosis

Objective 　To investigate the correlation of the expression level of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) gene in peripheral blood lymphocyte with the degree of stenosis of the coronary artery. Methods 　One hundred and seventy consecutive patients (male 86, female 84, aged from 18 to 82) who received coronary angiography (CAG) in the General Hospital of Chengdu Command were divided into coronary stenosis group and coronary normal group according to the result of CAG, and the Gensini scores were calculated based on the result of selective CAG. For the two groups, the age, gender, ethnic group, height and weight were collected, and the fasting glucose, lipids, liver and renal function parameters were measured, the total RNA was extracted from peripheral blood lymphocytes, and the mTOR expression level was measured, the correlation between mTOR expression level and other cardiovascular risk factors with Gensini score was then analyzed. Results 　Among the 170 patients, the age, body mass index, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and the expression level of mTOR gene in peripheral blood lymphocyte were significantly higher in coronary stenosis group than in normal group (P<0.05). Positive correlation was found between the Gensini score with the age, the levels of plasma TG and TC, and the expressions level of mTOR gene, and the correlation coefficients (r) were 0.207, 0.254, 0.236 and 0.343, respectively (P<0.01). Conclusions 　The mTOR expression level in peripheral blood lymphocytosis is positively correlated with the degree of coronary artery stenosis, implying that the monocyte mTOR may play an important role in the generation and development of coronary atherosclerosis. DOI: 10.11855/j.issn.0577-7402.2016.03.13