Objectives: We attempted to determine whether a functional polymorphism of TRPM6 (rs2274924) is associated with susceptibility to epilepsy following ischemic stroke, and to further explore the effect of this polymorphism on serum levels of Mg2+ in post-stroke patients.
Methods: We carried out a case-control study on 378 post-stroke epilepsy patients and 420 controls (stroke patients without secondary epilepsy). We used DNA sequencing to determine the genotypes of the TRPM6 rs2274924 polymorphism, and used the ion selective electrode method to measure serum levels of Mg2+.
Results: The distribution of the CC genotype and the frequency of the C allele were significantly higher in the post-stroke epilepsy patients than in the controls (P < 0.01). With regard to the post-stroke epilepsy patients, the serum levels of Mg2+ decreased significantly in the TRPM6 rs2274924 C allele carriers compared to the rs2274924 T allele carriers.
Conclusion: The TRPM6 rs2274924 polymorphism may be associated with susceptibility to epilepsy following stroke, and the C allele may be associated with increased risk of post-stroke epilepsy. The TRPM6 rs2274924 polymorphism may also influence serum levels of Mg2+ in post-stroke epilepsy patients.
Keywords: Mg; Post-stroke epilepsy; TRPM6; gene polymorphism.