Different allele frequencies of the BAIB locus determining excretion of β-aminoisobutyric acid in healthy donors and patients with coronary atherosclerosis from the Buryat and Lithuanian populations

Phenotype and allele frequencies of the genetically dimorphic system determining urinary excretion of beta -aminoisobutyric acid (BAIB) were studied in population samples of Buryats from the Aginskii Buryat Autonomous District and Lithuanians from Vilnius and in patients with coronary atherosclerosis (CA) from both populations. Frequency of allele, BAIB*b, which determines high BAIB excretion, proved to be more than twice higher in Buryats compared with: the population sample of Lithuanians (0.620 versus 0.289, respectively). The proportion of individuals with high BAIB, excretion in CA patients of either ethnic sample was twice higher than in the corresponding control sample. Frequency of allele BAIB*b in CA patients and healthy individuals was 0.349 and 0.242, respectively, in the Lithuanian population and 0.775 and 0.557, respectively, in the Buryat population. Thus, assessment of urinary excretion of BAIB proved to be prognostically valuable. The method used to detect a variation in BAIB excretion is relatively inexpensive, simple, and suitable for mass screening of patients and healthy individual's (population control). After additional testing with representative samples, the method can be used as an accessory diagnostic test in patients with cardiovascular disorders.