-308G>A and -1031T>C tumor necrosis factor gene polymorphisms in Tunisian patients with coronary artery disease.
BACKGROUND
Recent research has shown that inflammation plays a key role in coronary artery disease (CAD) and other manifestations of atherosclerosis. Several lines of evidence support a key role for tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), a potent immunomodulator and pro-inflammatory cytokine, in the development of atherosclerosis and in complications of CAD.


METHODS
We investigated the possible association between CAD and the TNF gene promoter polymorphisms -308G>A and -1031T>C in a Tunisian population. We compared the distribution of these polymorphisms between 418 patients with CAD and 406 healthy controls using polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length-polymorphism analysis.


RESULTS
The frequency of the TNF-alpha -308A allele in the control group was similar to that observed in CAD patients [p=0.78; odds ratio (OR)=1.15; 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.86-1.55], but higher than those described in other Europeans, such as in the French, Finnish and Spanish. Concerning the TNF-alpha -1031T/C polymorphism, the same distribution was observed between patients with CAD and controls (p=0.12; OR=1.27; 95% CI=0.94-1.72). In addition, the genotype and allele frequencies of control individuals were comparable to those previously reported in healthy Tunisian controls and other ethnic groups. Haplotype analysis (TNF-alpha -308G>A and -1031T>C) demonstrated no significant association between TNF haplotypes and CAD.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that TNF promoter gene polymorphisms at position -308G>A and -1031T>C do not play a major role in the pathogenesis of CAD in the Tunisian population.
Research Unit of Biology and Genetics of Cancer, Hematological and Autoimmune Diseases, Facultyof Pharmacy of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia.
Lakhdar
L
Ghazouani
Sonia-Ben-Hadj
SB
Khalifa
Nesrine
N
Abboud
Faouzi
F
Addad
Ali Ben
AB
Khalfallah
Nsiri
N
Brahim
Mounira
M
Mediouni
Wassim Y
WY
Almawi
Touhami
T
Mahjoub
D044383:Black People / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics*; D014416:Tunisia
D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha