The MCP-1 promoter -2518 polymorphism in Behcet's disease: correlation between allele types, MCP-1 production and clinical symptoms among Korean patients.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the G vs. A variation at the MCP-1 promoter -2518 position among normal Koreans and Behcet patients, and to investigate possible association of this polymorphism with disease pathogenesis.


METHODS
The allele type of -2518 polymorphism was determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism of Pvu II. The level of MCP-1 in serum and culture supernatent was measured by sandwich ELISA.


RESULTS
The average serum level of MCP-1 in Behcet patients was 2.37 times higher than in normal controls. The serum MCP-1 concentration was higher in G-allele carriers than in AA homozygotes, and symptoms accompanying graver cases of Behcet's disease, such as gastrointestinal inflammation and uveitis, were more frequent in patients with the G-allele. However, the frequency of G-allele in patient group was not higher than that in healthy Koreans, probably due to the dominance of G-allele in general Korean population. When stimulated in vitro with IL-1beta and LPS, the mononuclear cells from patients carrying the G-allele showed a steeper increase in MCP-1 production than the boost observed in AA homozygotes.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the allele frequency of MCP-1 promoter -2518 polymorphism is not likely to be the reason for the elevated serum MCP-1 level in Korean patients with Behcet's disease, it is possible that proinflammatory factors induced in patients' serum cause stronger activation of MCP-1 expression from the G-type promoter, as well as increased incidence of uveitis and gastric ulcer, among carriers of the G-allele.
Cho
Mi-La
ML
Rheumatism Research Center, Catholic Institutes of Medical Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, 505 Banpo-Dong, Seocho-Ku, Seoul 137-701 South Korea.
Kim
Ju-Young
JY
Ko
Hyeok-Jae
HJ
Kim
Young-Hoon
YH
Kim
Wan-Uk
WU
Cho
Chul-Soo
CS
Kim
Ho-Youn
HY
Hwang
Sue-Yun
SY
D000483:Alleles; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
D018932:Chemokine CCL2