Analysis of LMP and TAP polymorphisms by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism in rheumatoid arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between the polymorphism of large molecular weight proteasome (LMP) (LMP2-LMP7) and transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP) (TAP1-TAP2) genes and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).


METHODS
Sixty RA patients and 102 ethnically matched unrelated healthy subjects were typed for LMP, TAP, and disease associated HLA-DRB1 alleles by using a new strategy based on polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) with amplification created restriction sites.


RESULTS
The polymorphism of LMP (LMP2-LMP7) and TAP (TAP1-TAP2) genes was examined in shared epitope positive and negative RA patients and controls. No significant differences in the LMP or TAP allele frequencies were observed between the total patient and control groups or the patients and controls groups or the patients and controls positive or negative for the shared epitope.


CONCLUSIONS
The data suggest that the polymorphisms of LMP and TAP genes do not have an important influence in the pathogenesis of RA, although larger studies will be needed to provide more conclusive evidence on the role of these genes in RA. A new, highly reliable strategy for typing LMP alleles is also described.
Vinasco
J
J
Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López Neyra, CSIC, Granada, Spain.
Fraile
A
A
Nieto
A
A
Beraun
Y
Y
Pareja
E
E
Mataran
L
L
Martín
J
J
D000071181:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 2; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000235:genetics*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000235:genetics*; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
D000071181:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 2; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D011506:Proteins; C073119:TAP1 protein, human; C071313:LMP-2 protein; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases