A561C polymorphism of E-selectin is associated with ischemic cerebrovascular disease in the Japanese population without diabetes mellitus and hypercholesterolemia

E-selectin, which is a member of the selectin superfamily of adhesion molecules, contributes to the leukocyte-endothelial cell attachments and is involved in the pathogenesis of thrombovascular diseases as a consequence. We investigated the A561C mutation in the E-selectin gene in 235 Japanese patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and 301 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Excluding the subjects with diabetes mellitus and hypercholesterolemia, the AC genotype frequencies of patients with ischemic CVD were higher than those of controls: 12.7% vs. 5.8% (P = 0.04). Our results show that E-selectin gene polymorphisms represent an increased risk for ischemic CVD in the Japanese population without diabetes mellitus and hypercholesterolemia.