Correlation Between NCAN Rs2228603 Gene Polymorphism And Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)is one of the most epidemic chronic liver diseases in the world.Recently,genome-wide association studies in subjects of European ancestry identified that NCAN rs2228603 polymorphism was associated with the risk of NAFLD,while the relationship of NCAN rs2228603 polymorphism with the development of NAFLD in Chinese population remain unclear.Objectives: This study was aimed to evaluate the association of NCAN rs2228603 and the development of NAFLD in Chinese Han population.Methods: 182 NAFLD patients were included as the case group in this study,and 195 healthy controls were recruited at the same time.All the subjects were recruited from Qingdao Municipal Hospital.Genotypes of NCAN rs2228603 were measured by polymerase chain reaction analysis(PCR)and mass spectrometry sequencing.The effects of NCAN rs2228603 on the serum lipids levels were also investigated.Results: There were no significant differences in genotype and allele frequencies of NCAN rs2228603 between NAFLD patients and healthy controls(P > 0.05).Individuals with the NCAN rs2228603 T allele showed a higher levels of alkaline phosphatase(AKP)(P = 0.017)and a higher levels of high-density lipoprotein(HDL)(P < 0.05).Conclusions: Our study for the first time identified that NCAN rs2228603 polymorphism is not the risk factor for the incidence of NAFLD in Chinese Han population.Also we found the dual and opposite roles of T variant in protecting liver with a higher level of HDL and conferring risk for liver damage with a higher level of AKP.