title: CTLA-4 polymorphism in the pathogenesis of chronic spontaneous autoreactive urticaria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Autoimmune mechanisms are considered to play a significant role in chronic urticaria pathophysiology. Additionally, clinical experience emphasises the coexistence of chronic urticaria manifestation with thyroid autoimmunity. As the role of CTLA-4 polymorphism in autoimmune thyroid diseases is well proven we speculated on the possible role of this polymorphism in the background of chronic urticaria.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included 128 chronic spontaneous autoreactive urticaria patients (87 females and 41 males) and 101 healthy volunteers (71 females and 30 males). In all examined subjects CTLA-4 A49G polymorphism was analysed. Disease severity with Urticaria Activity Score as well as age of disease onset was also studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistically significant differences in the allele or genotype distribution between urticaria patients and controls were observed. Furthermore, we found no association between CTLA4 polymorphism and urticaria severity as well as the age of disease onset.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that there is no contribution of CTLA-4 A49G polymorphism to chronic spontaneous autoreactive urticaria susceptibility. We recommend further research on other polymorphisms in chronic urticaria patients to explore in detail the potent role of the genetic background in the pathogenesis of this disorder.
authors.affiliation: Chair and Clinical Department of Internal Diseases, Allergology and Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland. Electronic address: zbrzoza@mp.pl.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Brzoza
authors.affiliation: Chair and Clinical Department of Internal Diseases, Diabetology and Nephrology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Grzeszczak
authors.affiliation: Chair and Clinical Department of Internal Diseases, Allergology and Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rogala
authors.affiliation: Chair and Clinical Department of Internal Diseases, Diabetology and Nephrology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Trautsolt
authors.affiliation: Chair and Clinical Department of Internal Diseases and Nephrodiabetology, Medical University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moczulski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000235:genetics; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen / Q000235:genetics*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D014581:Urticaria / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen
keywords: Autoimmunity; CTLA-4; Chronic urticaria; Polymorphism; Thyroid