title: Association between variable number tandem repeats within the 3' flanking region of the interleukin-6 gene and systemic lupus erythematosus in Korean patients.
abstract: Variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism located in the 3' flanking region of the interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene was examined in Koreans with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We identified 15 VNTR alleles (K1 to K15) in the 3' flanking region by Genescan analysis. The VNTR K8 allele, a 648-base pair (bp) allele, was most commonly found in Koreans, being present in 74.8% of the SLE patients and 70.3% of the normal controls. The VNTR K9 (642 bp) allele was associated with susceptibility to SLE. In addition, the VNTR K9 was significantly associated with leukopenia (p = 0.048), thrombocytopenia (p = 0.020), and elevated C-reactive protein (p = 0.019). These data suggest that the VNTR K9 in the 3' flanking region of the IL-6 gene may be associated with disease susceptibility and the clinical phenotypes of SLE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Woncheon-dong San 5, Youngtong-gu, Suwon 443-721, Korea.
authors.forename: J-Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: H-A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: S-H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: C-H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Suh
mesh_terms: D024509:3' Flanking Region; D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats; D056910:Republic of Korea; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6