Possible association of the CD4 gene polymorphism with vitiligo in an Iranian population.
BACKGROUND
Vitiligo is an acquired idiopathic and polygenic disorder with progressive depigmentation of circumscribed patches. Its exact pathogenesis is unknown. The CD4 gene plays an important role in the cell-mediated immune response and its association with type 1 diabetes mellitus, which is an autoimmune disease, has been previously reported.


METHODS
Based on the assumption that autoimmunity is also involved in vitiligo, the CD4 gene was selected for study using a candidate gene approach. The pyrimidine-rich pentanucleotide repeat length polymorphism located in the promoter of the gene was studied. We screened 144 unrelated Iranian patients with vitiligo and 144 healthy matched controls by PCR.


RESULTS
The CD4*A4 allele has a susceptibility association with the development of vitiligo in the Iranian population (OR = 1.68, 95% CI 1.18-2.42; P < 0.01, P(c) = 0.02). When we compared CD4*A4-containing genotypes in the case and control groups, even more significant positive association was identified (OR = 2.02, 95% CI 1.26-3.22; P < 0.01 and P(c) < 0.01). The CD4 gene polymorphism has a modest association with the development of vitiligo in Iranian patients.
Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. mzamani@sina.tums.ac.ir
M
M
Zamani
M A
MA
Tabatabaiefar
S
S
Mosayyebi
A
A
Mashaghi
P
P
Mansouri
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D010375:Pedigree; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D005819:Genetic Markers