Polymorphisms in transforming growth factor-beta-related genes ALK1 and ENG are associated with sporadic brain arteriovenous malformations

Abstract

Background and purpose: Mutations in endoglin (ENG) and activin-like kinase (ALK1) cause hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasias, disorders characterized by pulmonary and brain arteriovenous malformations (BAVMs). We investigated whether polymorphisms in these genes are also associated with sporadic BAVM.

Methods: A total of 177 sporadic BAVM patients and 129 controls (all subjects white) were genotyped for 2 variants in ALK1 and 7 variants in ENG.

Results: The ALK1 IVS3-35A>G polymorphism was associated with BAVM: (AnyA [AA+AG] genotype: odds ratio, 2.47; 95% CI, 1.38 to 4.44; P=0.002). Two ENG polymorphisms, ENG -1742A>G and ENG 207G>A, showed a trend toward association with BAVM that did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusions: A common polymorphism in ALK1 is associated with sporadic BAVM, suggesting that genetic variation in genes mutated in familial BAVM syndromes may play a role in sporadic BAVMs.