Variants in the FLT4 and HYDIN genes are related to the susceptibility of atrial septal defects in southwest Han people of China

Background: Atrial septal defect (ASD) is a common form of nonsyndromic congenital heart disease. Although several genes related to ASD have been found, the genetic factors of ASD remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between 10 candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and sporadic atrial septal defects. Methods: Based on the results of 34 individual whole exome sequences, 10 candidate SNPs were selected. In total, 489 ASD samples and 420 normal samples were collected. The 10 SNPs in the case group and the control group were identified through Snapshot genotyping technology. The χ2-test and unconditional regression model were used to evaluate the relationship between ASD and each candidate SNP. Haploview software was used to perform linkage disequilibrium and haplotype analysis. Results: The χ2 results showed that the FLT4 rs383985 (P = 0.003, OR = 1.115–1.773), HYDIN rs7198975(P = 0.04621, OR = 1.003–1.461), and HYDIN rs1774266 (P = 0.04621, OR = 1.003–1.461) alleles were significantly different between the control group and the case group (P < 0.05). Only the association with the FLT4 polymorphism was statistically significant after adjustment for multiple comparisons. Conclusion: These findings suggest that a possible molecular pathogenesis associated with sporadic ASD is worth exploring in future studies.