Journal of Carcinogenesis & Mutagenesis

Abstract

Propensity to the Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Abnormality in Migraine without Aura and Vasospastic Angina along with a Genome-Wide Association Studies

Kazumi Fujioka

A different genetic susceptibility contribution in migraine without aura (MWOA) and migraine with aura (MWA) has been suggested in the study using a genetic risk score (GRS). Even though epidemiologic studies reveal that comorbidity with coronary artery disease (CAD) is more common in MWA than MWOA, it has been reported that MWOA had a genetic overlap with CAD, whereas MWA did not. The author has reported that patients with MWOA in the interictal period have a selective sensitivity in dilator response to nitroglycerin (NTG) and may have systemic nitric oxide (NO) sensitivity to NTG as previously described. The result indicated a vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) abnormality. Meanwhile, it has been provided that migraine-associated genes were involved in both arterial and smooth muscle function in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) profiles. The author emphasizes that VSMC abnormality was detected in both vascular reactivity study and GWAS profile in migraineurs without aura. Now, vasospastic angina (VSA) is considered as a disorder of conduit arteries. It has been proposed that hypercontraction of VSMC, namely, VSMC abnormality. The author emphasizes that there is at least a common underlying mechanism of MWOA and VSA, having selective and specific response to NTG and these diseases may be linked by a propensity to VSMC abnormality. Additionally, the author also proposes that VSMC abnormality may be remarkably detected in MWOA and VSA, especially in conduit artery.