The Frequency of CYP2C19*2 Gene Polymorphisms in Burkina Faso Patients Treated with Clopidogrel

Abstract

Purpose: The hepatic cytochrome P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) superfamily plays a crucial role in converting clopidogrel into its active form. Polymorphisms in CYP2C19 significantly contribute to the interindividual variability observed, often resulting in persistent thromboembolic complications. This study aimed to assess the frequency of the CYP2C19*2 (rs4244285, 681 G>A1) polymorphism among patients with cardiovascular diseases undergoing clopidogrel therapy.

Patients and methods: This cross-sectional study recruited a total of seventy-three (73) patients from the Cardiology Department of the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Yalgado Ouédraogo (CHU-YO) between January and June 2023. DNA was extracted from blood samples for CYP2C19*2 genotyping using PCR-RFLP.

Results: Genetic analysis revealed frequencies of 65.8% for the wild-type CYP2C19*1/*1, 28.8% for the heterozygous CYP2C19*1/*2, and 2.7% for the homozygous variant CYP2C19*2/*2. The distribution of the genotypic frequencies was consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (p> 0.05). The overall frequency of the CYP2C19*2 allele in the study population was 16.4%, with 12.5% observed in females and 19.5% in males.

Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into the frequency of the CYP2C19*2 polymorphism among cardiovascular patients in Burkina Faso, contributing to the limited data available on CYP2C19 polymorphisms in sub-Saharan Africa. The presence of loss-of-function alleles suggests a potential risk for reduced drug efficacy in a subset of individuals. As one of the pioneering studies in the region, these findings emphasize the importance of further research to understand the clinical implications of CYP2C19 polymorphisms.

Keywords: Burkina Faso; CYP2C19; PCR-RFLP; cardiovascular diseases; clopidogrel; polymorphism.

Figure 1

Gel electrophoresis of the PCR products. (A) PCR products before enzymatic digestion with MSPI. (B) PCR products after enzymatic digestion. L = ladder. Samples 1, 3–10 and 12 are wild type CYP2C19*1/*1 (GG) while sample 2 is homozygous variant CYP2C19*2/*2 (AA) and sample 11 is heterozygote CYP2C19*1/*2 (AG).