title: GITR promoter polymorphism contributes to risk of coal workers' pneumoconiosis: a case-control study from China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-related protein (GITR) mainly affects the functions of effector T cells and regulatory T cells thus it may influence various diseases. Coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) is a serious occupational disease worldwide. In the present study, we examined the association between the functional polymorphisms in GITR and risk of CWP in a Chinese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  An association study analyzing three polymorphisms (rs3753348, rs2298213, and rs11466668) in GITR were performed in a case-control study including 693 patients with CWP and 690 controls. Genotyping was carried out by Taqman method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The GITR rs3753348 GG/GC genotypes significantly enhanced the risk of CWP (adjusted OR=1.32, 95%CI=1.02-1.71), compared with the CC genotype, particularly among subgroups of long exposure years (adjusted OR=1.47, 95%CI=1.06-2.04) and non-smokers (adjusted OR=1.45, 95%CI=1.01-2.09). Moreover, the polymorphism was significantly associated with risk for CWP cases with stage II.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first report revealing an association between the GITR rs3753348 polymorphism and CWP, and our results suggest that the GITR rs3753348 polymorphism may be involved in the development and susceptibility of CWP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
authors.forename: Baiqun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
authors.forename: Ruhui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
authors.forename: Jingjin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Disease Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China.
authors.forename: Baoli
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China. Electronic address: chninjmu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Chunhui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ni
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D055008:Anthracosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003032:Coal Mining; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D053450:Glucocorticoid-Induced TNFR-Related Protein / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic
chemical_list: D053450:Glucocorticoid-Induced TNFR-Related Protein; C491405:TNFRSF18 protein, human
keywords: Coal workers’ pneumoconiosis; GITR; Genetic polymorphisms; Molecular genetics