title: Polymorphisms in the transforming growth factor-beta gene (TGF-beta) and the risk of advanced alcoholic liver disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There are wide interindividual differences in the risk of developing alcoholic cirrhosis. Transforming growth factor beta(1) (TGF-beta(1)) is the main cytokine involved in liver fibrogenesis. The TGF-beta(1) gene is polymorphic at several sites and these polymorphisms are probably related to differences in the rate of TGF-beta(1) synthesis. Our aim has been to analyse the influence of the TGF-beta(1) gene polymorphisms in the predisposition to advanced alcoholic liver disease (ALD) in ethanol abusers.
  
  
  METHODS
  TGF-beta(1) single nucleotide polymorphisms at positions -509 (C or T), +869 (C or T, codon 10), and +915 (C or G, codon 25) were examined in 165 alcoholics with advanced ALD and in 185 healthy controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 94 male patients with oesophageal varices, those carrying the GG genotype at position +915 were diagnosed at an older age than the remaining patients (age 52.1 years, standard deviation (SD) 9.9 vs. 45 SD 13.4, P=0.012). No other statistically significant differences were found in the distribution of the three TGF-beta(1) polymorphisms analysed individually or as combined haplotypes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The polymorphisms at the TGF-beta(1) gene analysed in this study are probably not related to the risk of advanced ALD.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina, CSIC, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oliver
authors.forename: José A G
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Agúndez
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernández-Arquero
authors.forename: Benjamín
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fernández-Gutierrez
authors.forename: Emilio G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: de la Concha
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Díaz-Rubio
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martín
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ladero
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1
chemical_list: C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1