title: Association analysis of IL1A and IL1B variants in alopecia areata.
abstract: Alopecia areata is an inflammatory hair loss disease with a major genetic component. The disease is characterized by focal inflammatory lesions with perifollicular T-cell infiltrates, reflecting the role of local cytokine production in the development of patchy hair loss. IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta are important inhibitors of hair growth in vitro. Their effect is opposed by the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, IL-1ra. Genes of the IL-1 cluster are candidate genes in the pathogenesis of alopecia areata. To investigate the role of the IL-1 system in alopecia areata we examined three biallelic polymorphisms within the IL-1 gene cluster (IL1A+4845, IL1B+3954 and IL1B-511) in 165 patients and a large number of matched controls (n=1150). There was no significant association of IL1B-511 or IL1B+3954 genotypes with the overall dataset, or with disease severity or age at onset, in contrast with a previous report. The results suggested the possibility of an association with IL1A+4845 in the overall dataset [OR 1.39 (95% CI 1.00, 1.93)] although this was not statistically significant. This was due mainly to the contribution from mild cases of alopecia areata [OR 1.48 (0.96, 2.29)], suggesting that IL-1 alpha may have a particular role in the pathogenesis of this subgroup.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Genetics Project, Division of Genomic Medicine and Department of Dermatology, University of Sheffield, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield S10 2JF, UK. r.taziahnini@sheffield.ac.uk
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tazi-Ahnini
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: McDonagh
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Messenger
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Britton
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: C O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Båvik
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Duff
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Cork
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000506:Alopecia Areata / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D008297:Male; D005810:Multigene Family
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; D007375:Interleukin-1