No association of vitamin D receptor gene start codon fok 1 polymorphisms in Chinese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether the start codon Fok I of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphism is a marker of susceptibility to or severity of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Chinese patients in Taiwan.


METHODS
A control group of 90 healthy people and 52 patients with SLE were examined. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based restriction analysis, we evaluated the relationship between Fok I polymorphisms and SLE, where an unexcisable length was determined to be 265 bp (FF), and the 2 fragments measuring 169 bp and 96 bp were determined to be excisable lengths (ff).


RESULTS
For the genotype of VDR Fok I start codon polymorphism, there were no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups (chi-squared test, p = 0.07). Additionally, we did not detect any association of VDR genotype with the clinical and laboratory profiles in SLE patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that the vitamin D receptor Fok I start codon polymorphism is not related to patients with SLE in Taiwan.
Huang
Chung-Ming
CM
Department of Internal Medicine, China Medical College Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.
Wu
Mei-Chen
MC
Wu
Jer-Yuarn
JY
Tsai
Fuu-Jen
FJ
D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D018387:Codon, Initiator / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011336:Probability; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000235:genetics*; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D018387:Codon, Initiator; D005819:Genetic Markers; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol