title: Genetic variants of FOXP3 influence graft survival in kidney transplant patients.
abstract: FOXP3(+) regulatory T cells (Treg) play a role in controlling alloreactivity. It has been shown that short (GT)n dinucleotide repeats (≤(GT)15; S) in the promoter region of the FOXP3 gene enhance the promoter activity when compared to long (GT)n repeats (≥(GT)16; L). The present study retrospectively investigated the influence of this (GT)n FOXP3 gene polymorphism on renal allograft survival. A total of 599 consecutive first-time kidney transplant patients (median follow-up time 7.7 years) were subdivided according to their FOXP3 genotype into the S-genotype group (SG) and the L-genotype group (LG). The SG was superior to the LG in both general graft survival censored for death (logrank test, p=0.013) and graft survival following acute rejection (p=0.021). Multivariate analysis defined the (GT)n FOXP3 dinucleotide repeat polymorphism as an independent factor and confirmed an advantage for the SG in renal allograft survival (HR=0.67, 95% CI 0.48-0.94, p=0.02). This gene association study identified a beneficial effect of FOXP3 genetic variants on graft survival in kidney transplant patients.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Transplantation Laboratory, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. a.grohnert@erasmusmc.nl
authors: Anja U
authors: AU
authors: Engela
authors: Karin
authors: K
authors: Boer
authors: Joke I
authors: JI
authors: Roodnat
authors: Annemiek M A
authors: AM
authors: Peeters
authors: Paul H
authors: PH
authors: Eilers
authors: Judith A
authors: JA
authors: Kal-van Gestel
authors: Fernando
authors: F
authors: Rivadeneira
authors: Willem
authors: W
authors: Weimar
authors: Carla C
authors: CC
authors: Baan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018900:Dinucleotide Repeats; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000235:genetics; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
chemical_list: C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors