[The frequency of CTLA-4 gene polymorphism at position 49 exon 1 in children with Hashimoto's thyroiditis].
BACKGROUND
The cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) is a molecule present on T cells that plays a critical role in the down regulation of antigen-activated immune responses. Its gene polymorphism is a strong candidate gene for conferring susceptibility to thyroid autoimmunity. THE AIM of the study was to analyse the frequency of CTLA-4 exon 1 polymorphism (A49G) in children with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.


METHODS
Blood samples from 68 children were analysed: 30 with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and 38 healthy, age-matched controls, mean age: 13.6 years. CTLA-4 exon 1 polymorphism (A49G) was defined by the PCR method and single-strand conformational polymorphism analysis and confirmed by using BbvI enzyme. Statistical analysis was performed using the t- test and Chi-square test.


RESULTS
Polymorphism analysis showed that statistically significant more patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis were homozygous for G (Ala), and G allele frequency was significant higher than in the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
The results confirmed the association between CTLA-4 exon 1 polymorphism (A49G) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis in polish children.
Kucharska
Anna
A
Katedra i Klinika Pediatrii and Endokrynologii AM w Warszawie, Warszawa. endokrynologia@litewska.edu.pl
Wiśniewska
Alicja
A
Rymkiewicz-Kluczyńska
Barbara
B
D000293:Adolescent; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; D002648:Child; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics*; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics*; D050031:Hashimoto Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; C556706:CTLA4 protein, human