MERTK polymorphisms associated with risk of haematological disorders among Korean SLE patients.
OBJECTIVE
The MER receptor tyrosine kinase (MERTK) gene is critical for the efficient clearance of apoptotic cells and has implications for inflammation and autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We investigated the genetic polymorphisms in MERTK to evaluate it as a potential candidate gene for a host genetic study of SLE and clinical manifestations in patients with SLE.


METHODS
By resequencing the coding and flanking regions of the MERTK gene in 24 unrelated Koreans, 37 polymorphisms were identified. Based on gene position, minor allele frequency and inter-single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) linkage disequilibrium, six of these polymorphisms were selected for subsequent genotyping and association analysis with the risk of SLE and haematological disorders in 350 Korean SLE patients and 330 controls.


RESULTS
Although no significant associations with the risk of SLE were found, logistic regression analyses revealed that variants +465C > G (P = 0.05) and +130215insdelT (P = 0.0005) were significantly associated with decreased risk of leucopenia in SLE patients. Further, +465C > G, +95616G > A, +123157A > G and the haplotype ht1 also showed significant associations (P = 0.006-0.05) with a decreased risk of lymphopenia in SLE patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that polymorphisms in MERTK might be one of the genetic risk factors for presenting leucopenia and lymphopenia in SLE patients.
Cheong
H S
HS
Department of Genetic Epidemiology, SNP Genetics, Seoul, Korea.
Lee
S O
SO
Choi
C-B
CB
Sung
Y-K
YK
Shin
H D
HD
Bae
S-C
SC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002889:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 2 / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics*; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D000076202:c-Mer Tyrosine Kinase
D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; C097072:MERTK protein, human; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D000076202:c-Mer Tyrosine Kinase