World Journal of Neuroscience, 2018, 8, 98-107 http://www.scirp.org/journal/wjns ISSN Online: 2162-2019 ISSN Print: 2162-2000 DOI: 10.4236/wjns.2018.81009 Feb. 13, 2018 98 World Journal of Neuroscience NOS3 894G > T Gene Polymorphism: A Potential Risk Factor of Stroke in Bahraini Patients Manal A. Fadl 1 , Adel A. AlJishi 2 , Safa Taha 3 , Moiz Bakhiet 3 1 Faculty of Science and Technology, Al Neelain University, Khartoum, Sudan 2 Salmanyia Medical Complex, Manama, Bahrain 3 Department of Molecular Medicine, CMMS, Princess Al-Jawhara Center, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain Abstract The endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) encoded by the NOS3 gene is responsible for the synthesis of a vasoactive endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO). The genetic polymorphism of this gene explains, in part, why some people are prone to develop stroke than others. In this study we conducted a case control study in Bahrainis to investigate “for the first time” the relation- ship between NOS3 894G > T (rs1799983) and 786T > C (rs2070744) poly- morphisms with the stroke predisposition in Bahraini population. Detection of NOS3 polymorphism was performed by PCR RFLP genotyping method. The level of NO among cases and controls was measured using ELISA. A total of 93 unrelated stroke patients and 86 controls were included in the study. The three types of stroke; Ischemic, hemorrhagic and transient ischemic at- tack were reported (91.4%, 7.5% and 1.1% respectively). No significant gender difference was observed (P = 0.74). Having previous stroke was a highly sig- nificant risk factor of the disease (P = 0.001, OR = 1.4), where as a family his- tory of stroke was not (OR = 0.11). The analysis provides evidence that the mutant 894GT + TT genotypes of NOS3 894G > T polymorphism were posi- tively associated with stroke predisposition and it increased the risk of stroke nearly two folds (P = 0.037, OR = 1.936). Although we found an association between the mutant genotype786 TC + CC of the NOS3 786T > C polymor- phism with the susceptibility to stroke (P = 0.023) suggesting that the mutant C allele might have a protective effect against stroke in this population, the strength of this association was rather low (OR = 0.484). The level of NO in stroke patients was significantly low compared to healthy controls (P < 0.005). Diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases were reported in stroke patients (67%, 71.4% and 52.1% respectively). More over 50% of the cases with previous stroke are both diabetic and hypertensive. This indicates that these diseases could be considered as a significant factor in the development of stroke in this How to cite this paper: Fadl, M.A., AlJishi, A.A., Taha, S. and Bakhiet, M. (2018) NOS3 894G > T Gene Polymorphism: A Potential Risk Factor of Stroke in Bahraini Patients. World Journal of Neuroscience, 8, 98-107. https://doi.org/10.4236/wjns.2018.81009 Received: January 3, 2018 Accepted: February 10, 2018 Published: February 13, 2018 Copyright © 2018 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY 4.0). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Open Access