FOXP3 and TGF-β gene polymorphisms in allergic rhinitis.
BACKGROUND
Regulatory CD4+ T (Treg) cells are effective in maintaining immune tolerance.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of Transforming Growth Factor β-1 (TGF-β1) and Forkhead Box Protein 3 (FOXP3) genes in Iranian patients with allergic rhinitis (AR).


METHODS
Variations at codons 10 and 25 of TGF-β1 and FOXP3 at positions -3279 A>C and -924 A>G were evaluated in AR patients and compared with controls. In a case-control study, 155 AR patients and 163 allergy-free controls were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction sequence-specific primer (PCR-SSP) technique.


RESULTS
The analysis of the frequency of these SNPs showed that the haplotype formed by FOXP3 -3279 A allele occurred significantly more frequently in patients than controls (odds ratio=1.44, 95% CI=1.312-2.66; p=0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that polymorphism in FOXP3 gene is associated with susceptibility to AR.
Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran, e-mail: abedianks@razi.tums.ac.ir.
Hadi
H
Hassannia
Saeid
S
Abediankenari
Javad
J
Ghaffari
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D005787:Gene Frequency; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000235:genetics*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000235:genetics*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult
C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta