Genotyping in the MHC locus: potential for defining predictive markers in sarcoidosis.
In sarcoidosis, host genetic factors are discussed as contributing to disease susceptibility and course. Since tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha is a central mediator of granuloma formation and since elevated TNF-alpha levels are found during active phases of sarcoidosis, genetic polymorphisms correlating with influences on TNF-alpha levels are of special interest. The complete sequencing of the MHC region and the increase in the number of identified gene polymorphisms in this locus associated with TNF-alpha production offer the opportunity of detecting new genes associated with sarcoidosis and perhaps of defining disease-associated haplotypes that bear the potential of serving as predictive markers for this disease.
Seitzer
Ulrike
U
Division of Molecular Immunology, Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Research Center Borstel, Borstel, Germany. useitzer@fz-borstel.de
Gerdes
Johannes
J
Müller-Quernheim
Joachim
J
D000818:Animals; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci / Q000235:genetics*; D017565:Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary / Q000235:genetics*
D005819:Genetic Markers