Effects of Fractalkine Receptor Variants on Common Carotid Artery Intima-Media Thickness

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Abstract
Background and Purpose— Fractalkine receptor (CX3CR1) plays a key role during atherogenesis. CX3CR1 has 2 common coding polymorphisms, namely V249I and T280M, that have been associated with interindividual differences in susceptibility to atherosclerosis. In the present study, we investigated the possible association between CX3CR1variants and intima-media thickness (IMT). Methods— We genotyped 1256 samples from the Progression of Lesions in the Intima of the Carotid (PLIC) study (a prospective population-based study) for the presence of the V249 and the M280 variants of CX3CR1. Results— Significantly reduced IMT was observed in subjects with the MM280 genotype (0.57±0.12 mm) compared with subjects with the TT (0.65±0.14 mm) or the TM (0.65±0.13 mm) genotype. No difference in IMT was observed within carrier of the II249, VI249, or VV249 genotype. Subjects with combined genotype VI249/MM280 and II249/MM280 showed a reduced IMT. Conclusions— The presence of the M280 polymorphism of the fractalkine receptor is associated with a decreased common carotid artery IMT, whereas the presence of the I249 polymorphism does not play a major role on the progression of carotid atherosclerosis.