title: Lack of association between macrophage migration inhibitory factor gene polymorphism and giant cell arteritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the role of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) gene polymorphism in giant cell arteritis (GCA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-three patients with biopsy-proven GCA, 20 of them with visual ischemic complications, and 122 healthy matched controls from the Lugo region of Northwest Spain were studied. Patients and controls were genotyped for a single nucleotide polymorphism in the 5'-flanking region at position -173 of the MIF gene, using SNapshot ddNTP primer extension, followed by capillary electrophoresis (ABI 3100).
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences in MIF gene polymorphism were observed in patients with biopsy-proven GCA compared to controls. This was also the case when GCA patients with or without visual ischemic complications were compared.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Polymorphism in MIF gene promoter -173 G/C does not appear to be a genetic risk factor for GCA in Northwest Spain.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Integrated Genomic Medical Research, School of Epidemiology and Health Sciences, the University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Mahsa M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Amoli
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Garcia-Porrua
authors.forename: William E R
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Ollier
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Gay
mesh_terms: D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors