A polymorphism within the interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) gene is associated with ankylosing spondylitis.
OBJECTIVE
Genetic factors that predispose individuals to ankylosing spondylitis (AS) are not fully understood, but are unlikely to be restricted to HLA-B27. Proinflammatory cytokines are implicated in the development of sacroiliitis. We have examined the allele frequencies of three polymorphic sites in the interleukin (IL)-1 genes in AS patients to investigate whether genetic regulation of IL-1 production could be implicated in AS pathogenesis.


METHODS
DNA from 188 AS patients, 115 healthy controls and 81 HLA-B27-positive healthy controls, all from the West of Scotland, were examined with the polymerase chain reaction in a case-controlled study. Polymorphic sites in genes of the IL-1 family were examined, including the 86-base pair variable number tandem repeat within intron 2 of the IL-1Ra gene, and the restriction fragment length polymorphisms at positions -889 in the IL-1alpha gene and -511 in the IL-1beta gene.


RESULTS
No significant differences were seen at the polymorphic alleles in the IL-1alpha and IL-1beta genes, but there was a significant increase in the carriage of allele 2 in the IL-1Ra in the AS patients compared with local controls (16 vs 8%, odds ratio 2.3, 95% confidence interval 1.2-4.4, P=0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
This report of an association with a polymorphic site within the IL-1 locus and AS suggests that genes other than B27 may well be involved in the pathogenesis of AS.
McGarry
F
F
Centre for Rheumatic Diseases, University Department of Medicine, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, 10 Alexandra Parade, Glasgow G31 2ER, UK.
Neilly
J
J
Anderson
N
N
Sturrock
R
R
Field
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000235:genetics*
D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen; C507763:IL1RN protein, human; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein; D007375:Interleukin-1; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins