title: Association of the interferon-γ gene (CA)n repeat polymorphism with endometriosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether the interferon-γ (IFN-γ) gene (CA)(n) repeat polymorphism is associated with susceptibility to endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case-control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women with (n = 622) and without (n = 442) endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Genotyping was performed by fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and gene-scan analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Genotype distribution and allele frequency of the dinucleotide (CA)(n) repeat polymorphism in the IFN-γ gene.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven alleles (12-18 repeats) of the IFN-γ gene (CA)(n) repeat polymorphism were found. In both patients with endometriosis and controls the most common allele was composed of 13 repeats, followed by an allele of 15 repeats, and then by an allele of 12 repeats. Patients with endometriosis had a significantly higher incidence of genotypes with alleles composed of fewer repeats (12-13 repeats), compared with the controls (92.0 versus 84.4%, respectively, P < 001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that the (CA)(n) repeat polymorphism in the IFN-γ gene may be associated with a risk of endometriosis in the South Korean population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Chae
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Moon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D056910:Republic of Korea; D018911:Trinucleotide Repeats / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D007371:Interferon-gamma