The rs3918188 and rs1799983 loci of eNOS gene are associated with susceptibility in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus in Northeast China

To investigate the association between single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at the rs3918188, rs1799983 and rs1007311 loci of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene and genetic susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in northeastern China. The base distribution of eNOS gene rs3918188, rs1799983 and rs1007311 in 1712 human peripheral blood samples from Northeast China was detected by SNaPshot sequencing technology. The correlation between genotype, allele and gene model of these loci of the eNOS gene and the genetic susceptibility to SLE was investigated by logistic regression analysis. The results of the differences in the frequency distribution of their gene models were visualised using R 4.3.2 software. Finally, HaploView 4.2 software was used to analyse the relationship between the haplotypes of the three loci mentioned above and the genetic susceptibility to SLE. A multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) analysis was used to determine the best SNP-SNP interaction model. The CC genotype and C allele at the rs3918188 locus may be a risk factor for SLE (CC vs AA: OR = 1.827, P < 0.05; C vs A: OR = 1.558, P < 0.001), and this locus increased the risk of SLE in the dominant model and the recessive model (AC + CC vs AA: OR = 1.542, P < 0.05; CC vs AA + AC: OR = 1.707, P < 0.001), while the risk of SLE was reduced in the overdominant model (AC vs AA + CC: OR = 0.628, P < 0.001). The GT genotype and T allele at locus rs1799983 may be a protective factor for SLE (GT vs GG: OR = 0.328, P < 0.001; T vs G: OR = 0.438, P < 0.001) and this locus reduced the risk of SLE in the overdominant model (GT vs GG + TT: OR = 0.385, P < 0.001). There is a strong linkage disequilibrium between the rs1007311 and rs1799983 loci of the eNOS gene. Among them, the formed haplotype AG increased the risk of SLE compared to GG. AT and GT decreased the risk of SLE compared to GG. In this study, the eNOS gene rs3918188 and rs1799983 loci were found to be associated with susceptibility to SLE. This helps to deeply explore the mechanism of eNOS gene and genetic susceptibility to SLE. It provides a certain research basis for the subsequent exploration of the molecular mechanism of these loci and SLE, as well as the early diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of SLE.