Association and gene-environment interaction effect of vegfr-2 gene polymorphism with mental health on metabolic risk factors of cardiovascular disease in Chinese Malaysian female adults

Female adults in Malaysia are prone to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mental health problems. Significant associations of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) gene rs2071559 polymorphism were reported in Asian populations. This study aimed to examine the association and interaction effects of VEGFR-2 gene rs2071559 polymorphism with mental health on metabolic risk factors of CVD in Chinese Malaysian female adults. Physical measurements: body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (BFP), blood pressureand biomarkers: blood glucose (BG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were determined. Job Stress Scale (JSS), Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), and Rhode Island Stress and Coping Inventory (RISCI) questionnaires were used to measure job stress, mental health (stress, anxiety and depression), and coping with perceived stress. A total of 81 Chinese Malaysian female adults were included. The allele frequency for rs2071559 (CT allele) was 0.410.59, and significant genetic association was obtained with HbA1c levels (p=0.034) after adjusting for potential confounders. Significant correlations were obtained for stress with BMI (r=-0.022p=0.046), depression with BFP (r=-0.242p=0.030)and stress coping with BG (r=0.303p=0.006). Significant gene-environment interaction effects were obtained for rs2071559 with stress (p=0.015) and depression (p=0.038) on HDL-C levels. Significant associations and interaction effects of rs2071559 polymorphism and mental health were obtained for metabolic risk factors of CVD in Chinese Malaysian female adults. Further investigation to confirm the findings is required, including promotion of healthy mental health in prevention of CVD including metabolic risk factors