title: Polymorphisms of the macrophage migration inhibitory factor gene in a UK population with Type 1 diabetes mellitus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a potent pro-inflammatory cytokine whose production is transcriptionally regulated by glucose. Experimental data from both Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) patients and animal models suggests a role for MIF in the development of T1D. The aim of this study was to employ gene resequencing to identify common DNA polymorphisms in the MIF gene and subsequently assess haplotype tagged single nucleotide polymorphisms (htSNPs) using a combination of case-control and family-based association analyses in order to assess the association of MIF htSNPs with the development of T1D in a white population.
  
  
  METHODS
  All exons, introns and approximately 3 kb upstream and downstream of the MIF gene were screened for DNA polymorphisms in 46 individuals using DNA sequencing. Genotyping of the htSNPs was performed in 432 cases, 407 control subjects and 290 T1D parent-offspring trios, using Taqman, Sequenom, Pyrosequencing and fluorescence-based microsatellite technologies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-three polymorphisms (two novel) with a minor allele frequency > 10% were identified. Four MIF htSNPs (rs875643 G>A, rs7388067 C>T, rs5844572 -/CATT, rs6003941 T>G) were identified. Allele and haplotype frequencies were similar between case and control groups (P > 0.6 by permutation test) and assessment of allele transmission distortion from informative parents to affected offspring also failed to find an association. Stratification of these analyses for age-at-onset and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR risk group (DR3/DR4) did not reveal any significant associations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is unlikely that common polymorphisms in the MIF gene strongly influence susceptibility to T1D in the UK population.
authors.affiliation: Nephrology, Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK. rosalind.martin@qub.ac.uk
authors.forename: R J L
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Savage
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Carson
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: McKnight
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Maxwell
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Patterson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors