title: The -308 G/A polymorphism in the tumor necrosis factor-α gene is not associated with development and progression of rheumatoid arthritis in Argentinean patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A polymorphism in the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) promoter region has been associated with disease susceptibility and progression in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The presence of an adenosine (TNF2 allele) instead of a guanine (TNF1 allele) at position -308 may be responsible for a general increase in the transcriptional activity of the TNF-α gene. Our aim was to evaluate the association of the TNF2 allele with the risk of disease development and/or progression of RA in an Argentine population cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and twenty-three consecutive patients with RA according to the 1987 criteria of the American College of Rheumatology were included in the study. Clinical variables, Disease Activity Score 28, Health Assessment Questionnaire and Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life were recorded. The radiographic erosions were determined by the method of Sharp/van der Heijde. A group of 111 healthy subjects matched by sex and age was used as a control. All samples were genotyped for the -308 G/A TNF-α polymorphism.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences were observed either in the frequency of the TNF2 allele or in the genotypic distributions of the -308 G/A TNF-α polymorphism (P > 0.05) between the control group and the RA patients. No association was found between the TNF2 allele and the variables related to the course and outcome of the disease (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this cohort of Argentinean patients with RA, the TNF2 allele was neither associated with susceptibility to the disease nor was it associated with the variables related to the course and outcome of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Hemostasis and Thrombosis Laboratory, Hospital of Infectious Diseases "F. J. Muñiz", Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aranda
authors.affiliation: Hemostasis and Thrombosis Laboratory, Hospital of Infectious Diseases "F. J. Muñiz", Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Silvia D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Perés Wingeyer
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Section, Instituto de Rehabilitación Psicofísica (IREP), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Emilce
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schneeberger
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Section, Instituto de Rehabilitación Psicofísica (IREP), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valerio
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Section, Instituto de Rehabilitación Psicofísica (IREP), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saint Martin
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Section, Instituto de Rehabilitación Psicofísica (IREP), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dal Pra
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Section, Instituto de Rehabilitación Psicofísica (IREP), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: María de Los Ángeles
authors.initials: Mde L
authors.lastname: Correa
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Section, Instituto de Rehabilitación Psicofísica (IREP), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Citera
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital General de Agudos Dr. J. A. Fernández, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital General de Agudos Dr. J. A. Fernández, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mannucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital General de Agudos Dr. J. A. Fernández, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Graciela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Remondino
authors.affiliation: Hemostasis and Thrombosis Laboratory, Hospital of Infectious Diseases "F. J. Muñiz", Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Gabriela F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: de Larrañaga
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001118:Argentina; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012307:Risk Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
keywords: polymorphism; rheumatoid arthritis; tumor necrosis factor-alpha; −308 G/A TNF-α