title: A study of ApaI and TaqI genotypes of the vitamin D receptor in Egyptian patients with psoriasis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitamin D analogues have been found to be effective in treating the skin lesions of psoriasis. The therapy is thought to work through the vitamin D receptors, resulting in alteration of the proliferation/differentiation balance of the cells. Vitamin D also has an effect on T helper cells, which have a major role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. There is controversy about the association of vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms with psoriasis in different populations, and it is a factor that might influence the treatment of these patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms using two restriction enzymes in a group of Egyptian patients with psoriasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 50 patients with psoriasis were examined using restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis to study ApaI and TaqI genotypes of the vitamin D receptor in a sample of Egyptian patients, and compared with 50 healthy control subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We did not find any significant difference in ApaI and TaqI vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms between patients and controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is ethnic variability in vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms. The lack of significant prevalence of the studied gene polymorphisms in our population suggests that their association with other functionally known gene polymorphism might have a role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. nehalzf@hotmail.com
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Zuel-Fakkar
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Kamel
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Asaad
authors.forename: M Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Mahran
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Shehab
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004534:Egypt; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length / Q000235:genetics*; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000235:genetics*; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol