title: Association of TNFSF4 polymorphisms with susceptibility to primary Sjögren's syndrome and primary biliary cirrhosis in a Chinese Han population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to evaluate the association between polymorphisms of TNFSF4 and primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) in a Chinese Han population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 250 pSS patients, 221 PBC patients, and 393 healthy controls were enrolled. All individuals were ethnic Chinese Han, and each group was matched for gender ratio and age. We identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) via the HapMap Han Chinese Beijing databank for a genetic region containing TNFSF4, and then identified haplotype tagging SNPs with the Tagger programme of Haploview. DNA samples were amplified through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and extension products were differentiated via mass spectrometry. Association analyses were performed using PLINK software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In TNFSF4, T allele and TT genotype of rs2205960, and G allele of rs1234313, were associated with pSS (p<0.05); T allele of rs2205960 was correlated with PBC (p<0.05) as a risk factor. In the haplotype analysis, TAGG and TGGT were correlated with pSS (p<0.05). In genetic additive, dominant, and recessive models analysis, rs2205960 had a significant association with both pSS and PBC, and rs1234313 presented a significant association with pSS (p<0.05). However, no statistically significant difference was found after Bonferroni corrections.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, no association between the allele, or genotype, or haplotype frequencies of TNFSF4 and the risk of pSS or PBC was found. TNFSF4 may have little significance as a common genetic component of pSS and PBC in the Chinese Han population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Allergy, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. kongfang@yahoo.cn
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Jian-Xin
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yong-Zhe
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Feng-Chun
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053278:OX40 Ligand / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012307:Risk Factors; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D053278:OX40 Ligand; C089251:TNFSF4 protein, human