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Published on: July 3, 2014
Proinflammatory gene polymorphisms and ischemic stroke
Yoshiji Yamada1, Sahoko Ichihara, Tamotsu Nishida
1Department of Human Functional Genomics, Life Science Research Center, Mie University, Tsu, Mie, Japan. yamada@gene.mie-u.ac.jp
Insights
Identifying genetic biomarkers for stroke risk is crucial. This review focuses on proinflammatory genes and chromosomal region 9p21.3, highlighting their role in ischemic stroke susceptibility.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Neurology
- Cardiovascular Science
Background:
- Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability globally.
- Genetic factors contribute to stroke susceptibility, but specific genes remain largely unidentified.
- Vascular inflammation is a key mechanism in atherosclerosis and may play a role in ischemic stroke pathogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review candidate genes implicated in ischemic stroke through linkage and association studies.
- To highlight the role of proinflammatory genes (LTA, IL6, ALOX5AP) and the 9p21.3 chromosomal region in ischemic stroke.
- To provide insights into the function of these genes and the genetic factors influencing ischemic stroke development.
Main Methods:
- Review of linkage analyses and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for stroke susceptibility genes.
- Detailed examination of studies investigating polymorphisms in proinflammatory genes (LTA, IL6, ALOX5AP).
- Analysis of research on the 9p21.3 chromosomal region as a stroke and coronary heart disease susceptibility locus.
Main Results:
- Several candidate genes and loci have been implicated in ischemic stroke predisposition.
- Polymorphisms in proinflammatory genes LTA, IL6, and ALOX5AP are associated with ischemic stroke risk.
- The 9p21.3 chromosomal region is a significant susceptibility locus for both coronary heart disease and ischemic stroke.
Conclusions:
- Proinflammatory genes and specific genetic loci like 9p21.3 are important in the genetic susceptibility to ischemic stroke.
- Further research into these genetic factors can enhance stroke risk prediction and inform therapeutic interventions.
- Understanding the genetic basis of stroke is vital for developing effective preventative strategies.
Abstract:
Despite recent advances in acute stroke therapy, stroke remains the leading cause of severe disability and the third leading cause of death, after heart disease and cancer, in Western countries and Japan. The identification of biomarkers of stroke risk is thus important both for risk prediction and for intervention to avert future events. Although genetic linkage analyses of families and sib-pairs as well as candidate gene and genome-wide association studies have implicated several loci and candidate genes in predisposition to ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, the genes that contribute to genetic susceptibility to these conditions remain to be identified definitively. Given that vascular inflammation has been recognized as an important mechanism of atherosclerotic disease, proinflammatory genes may play pivotal roles in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke. In this review, we summarize candidate genes that have been implicated in common forms of ischemic stroke by linkage analyses and association studies. We also review in more detail studies that have revealed an association of ischemic stroke with polymorphisms of proinflammatory genes of particular interest (LTA, IL6, and ALOX5AP) as well as with polymorphisms at chromosomal region 9p21.3, which has recently been identified as a susceptibility locus for coronary heart disease. Such studies may provide insight into the function of implicated genes as well as into the role of genetic factors in the development of ischemic stroke.
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