title: Uridine diphosphate glucuronosyl transferase 1A1 promoter polymorphism is associated with choledocholithiasis in Taiwanese patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The gene product of the uridine diphosphate glucuronosyl transferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) is crucial to bilirubin metabolism. Mutations in this gene subsequently result in disease presented with unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. A previous study showed that a TA-repeat polymorphism in the promoter region of this gene might play a role in the metabolism of bilirubin. Whether this polymorphism might predispose choledocholithiasis is unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 32 patients who were diagnosed with pigment choledocholithiasis (common bile duct stones) by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) morphology and 107 population controls. The TA-repeat in the UGT1A1 promoter was genotyped.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that among the 32 patients, 15 (46.9%) were wild type (A[TA](6)TAA homozygous); 15 (46.9%) were a heterozygous variation (A[TA[(6)TAA/A[TA](7)TAA) and 2 (6.2%) were a homozygous variation (A[TA](7)TAA). Among the controls, 81 (75.7%) were wild type, 23 (21.5%) were a heterozygous variation and 3 (2.8%) were a homozygous variation. The genotype distribution was significantly different between patients and controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that the UGT1A1 promoter TA-repeat polymorphism is associated with choledocholithiasis in Taiwanese patients.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Section, Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital and Mackay Medicine, Nursing and Management College, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Cheng-Hsin
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: An-Ming
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jia-Horng
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: Chia-Yuan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wen-Hsiung
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Wei-Shiung
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; D042883:Choledocholithiasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000201:enzymology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D014453:Glucuronosyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D006579:Heterozygote; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010641:Phenotype; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D000099148:UGT1A1 Enzyme
chemical_list: D014453:Glucuronosyltransferase; D000099148:UGT1A1 Enzyme