title: RANTES gene polymorphism in polymyalgia rheumatica, giant cell arteritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether a biallelic polymorphism (A or G) occurring within the promoter region of the RANTES gene (position-403) is associated with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), giant cell arteritis (GCA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
  
  
  METHODS
  A PCR-RFLP method was used to genotype cases and controls for this polymorphism. 3 groups of patients were examined; these comprised GCA patients who did not exhibit features of PMR (n = 30), PMR patients who did not exhibit features of GCA (n = 53) and RA patients (n = 99). All patients and controls (n = 65) originated from the area surrounding Lugo, Galicia, NW Spain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant increase in the frequency of allele A was found in PMR patients compared with normal controls. A marginal increase of this allele frequency was observed in RA but not in GCA patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first report of an association of a RANTES gene polymorphisms with PMR and RA. Our data suggest a possible role for of RANTES in the development of both PMR and RA.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, Beirut Arab University, Lebanon.
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Makki
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: al Sharif
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: González-Gay
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: García-Porrúa
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Ollier
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Hajeer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000235:genetics*; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D011111:Polymyalgia Rheumatica / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018946:Chemokine CCL5