["Genome-wide association studies have identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms at the 10q11 locus as risk factors for myocardial infarction (MI). This locus lies upstream (∼80\u200akb) of the stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF1) gene that codify for a chemokine with protective atherogenetic effects and with a major role in the mobilization, homing, and differentiation of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible association of SDF1-3'A polymorphism, that upregulates SDF1 protein expression, with MI and early endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis in young healthy subjects.", "200 patients (181 men age 57.3\u200a±\u200a7.7 years) and 230 healthy controls (96 men, age 52\u200a±\u200a11.9 years) were recruited to investigate the association between MI and SDF1-3'A polymorphism. The relationship between SDF1-3'A polymorphism and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation and the number of circulating EPCs was examined in 50 healthy young adults.", "A significant difference in SDF1-3'A genotype distribution was observed between patients and controls (P\u200a=\u200a0.006). Patients carrying the A allele had a significantly reduced MI risk compared with subjects with GG genotype (odds ratio\u200a=\u200a0.5, 95% CI\u200a=\u200a0.3-0.9, P\u200a=\u200a0.001). SDF1-3'A polymorphism presented a significant interaction with other cardiovascular risk factors (Pinteraction\u200a<\u200a0. 0001). Controls carrying the A allele showed significantly higher flow-mediated dilation (13.9\u200a±\u200a4.9 vs 10.8\u200a±\u200a4.3, P\u200a=\u200a0.03) and significantly higher values of EPCs (0.029\u200a±\u200a0.009 vs 0.022\u200a±\u200a0.008, P\u200a=\u200a0.02) compared with GG homozygotes."] Is stromal cell-derived factor-1-3 ' A polymorphism associated with decreased risk of myocardial infarction and early endothelial disturbance?