title: Intron F G79A polymorphism of the protein Z gene in Turkish Behçet patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vasculitis is one of the major findings of Behçet's disease (BD). Protein Z (PZ) is a glycoprotein that acts as a cofactor of PZ-dependent protease inhibitor and suppresses trombus formation by inhibiting activated factor Xa. Polymorphism of the PZ gene was mentioned as a genetic risk factor for various thrombotic events. The aim of this study is to investigate the intron F G79A polymorphism of the PZ gene in Behçet patients with and without ocular involvement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-six patients and 70 controls were included in the study. Intron F G79A polymorphism of PZ gene was determined by polymerase chain reaction based DNA analysis. The frequency of A allele and the distribution of genotypes were assessed by χ(2) test and the genotype distribution and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were tested with the χ(2) test for quality of fit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of the A allele was significantly higher in overall Behçet patients than in controls (odds ratio [OR] = 6.8; 95% CI, 2.6 to 17.9; p = 0.0001). It was also significantly higher in patients with (OR = 5.3; 95% CI, 1.83 to 15.6; p = 0.0024) or without (OR = 8.2; 95% CI, 2.95 to 22.5; p = 0.0001) ocular involvement compared to controls. However, A allele frequency was not significantly different between patients with eye involvement versus patients without eye involvement (OR = 0.65; 95% CI, 0.3 to 1.4; p = 0.28).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although thrombosis in BD is multifactorial, intron F G79A polymorphism of PZ gene in BD may be one of the factors that contribute to this pathological process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Gaziosmanpasa University, Tokat, Turkey. helindeniz@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Helin Deniz
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.forename: F Nilüfer
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Yalçındağ
authors.forename: Ayşenur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oztürk
authors.forename: Nejat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000235:genetics*; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D031300:Retinal Vasculitis / Q000235:genetics*; D014421:Turkey; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; C026080:plasma protein Z