Cor Vasa 2006, 48(7-8):262-266 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2006.083

Plasma levels of thiocyanate in the Czech population and their genetic determination

Jaroslav A. Hubáček^1,4,*, Jan Piťha², Zdena Škodová³, Věra Lánská⁴, Rudolf Poledne^1,4

¹ Pracoviště experimentální medicíny, Laboratoř molekulární genetiky

² Pracoviště preventivní kardiologie

³ Statistické oddělení, Institut klinické a experimentální medicíny

⁴ Centrum pro výzkum chorob srdce a cév, Praha, Česká republika

Background:
Plasma thiocyanate levels are a commonly used marker for smoking status determination. It is not known whether there is any genetic predisposition in terms of plasma thiocyanate levels. We have evaluated possible genetic predetermination of plasma thiocyanate levels in a population-based study.


Material/methods:
In 131 men and 154 women, the plasma levels of thiocyanate were detected photometrically after reaction with Fe(NO3)3. Twenty-three genetic markers on 8 chromosomes were analyzed by PCR.

Results:
The plasma levels of thiocyanate were significantly (p < 0.01) higher in smokers compared to non-smokers and in males (p < 0.01) compared to females.
The effects of genetic markers at positions 11q23 (p < 0.05) and 19q13.1 (p < 0.01) on plasma thiocyanate levels were determined in both males and females in independent analyses. Other variants exhibited no significant effect on the plasma levels of thiocyanate.

Conclusion:
The plasma levels of thiocyanate are higher in males than in females and in smokers than in non-smokers. Out of the 23 analyzed genetic variants, two are associated with plasma levels of thiocyanate. The plasma levels of thiocyanate are not likely to be a genetically independent marker for smoking/non-smoking status.

Keywords: Smoking; Polymorphisms; Thiocyanate

Published: July 1, 2006  Show citation