title: Association of interferon-gamma gene polymorphisms in Taiwanese children with biliary atresia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Biliary atresia (BA) is a devastating neonatal hepatobiliary disease characterized by bile duct inflammation and fibrosis. The pathogenesis remains unclear, but immunologically mediated injury to bile ducts following an infectious insult is likely to play a critical role. Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) is a key cytokine that affects immune-mediated inflammatory responses.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to investigate whether polymorphisms of the IFN-gamma (IFNG) gene were associated with susceptibility to BA.
  
  
  METHODS
  The IFNG -1615 C/T, -183 G/T, +874 A/T, and +2197 A/G polymorphisms were genotyped using the TaqMan assay, and CA repeat microsatellite was analyzed using capillary electrophoresis in 50 children with BA and 788 ethnically matched healthy controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The distribution of genotype, allele, and haplotype frequencies of these IFNG gene variants did not differ significantly between children with BA and controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Polymorphisms of the IFNG gene do not appear to play a major role in the genetic predisposition to BA in Taiwanese children.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pediatrics, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hung-Chang
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Tzu-Yang
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Chun-Yan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.forename: Wai-Tao
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Chuen-Bin
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Wei-Fang
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hui-Wen
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Hsin-Fu
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yann-Jinn
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001656:Biliary Atresia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D013624:Taiwan; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007371:Interferon-gamma