title: Association study of MICA-TM and HLA-class I polymorphism with uveitis in South Tunisian population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Uveitis refers to intraocular inflammation. The pattern of uveitis is largely influenced by a multitude of factors including genetic background.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of our study was to identify the association between the polymorphism of the transmembrane region of MICA (MICA-TM) and uveitis in Tunisian patients with intraocular inflammation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 79 Tunisian patients and 123 healthy controls were enrolled in our study. HLA-class I phenotyping was performed by microlymphocytotoxicity complement dependent and MICA-TM was genotyped by a semiautomatic fluorescent-labelled PCR method, amplicons were analysed on ABI Prism 310 genotyper. Comparisons of allele frequencies between patients and controls, and between patients' subgroups were performed using SPSS 20.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our 79 patients, HLA-B27 showed a significant increased frequency when compared with healthy controls (P=0.003, 7.88 [95% IC=2.17-28.65]). The association was more significant when considering idiopathic anterior uveitis (P=0.00002, OR=11.65 [95% IC=3.06-45.17]). No MICA allele was significantly increased in uveitis groups compared to controls. In the idiopathic uveitis group, MICA-A4 was associated with late age of onset of disease (P=0.04). HLA-B51 and MICA-A6 were associated respectively with severe tyndall (P=0.008) and with the presence of synechiae (P=0.007).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some clinical features of uveitis may be influenced by specific MICA-TM alleles. In our South Tunisian population, MICA plays a disease modifying role, rather than being an important gene in the susceptibility for developing of uveitis.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Department, Hédi Chaker hospital, route El Ain, 3000 Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Loukil
authors.affiliation: Immunology Department, Hédi Chaker hospital, route El Ain, 3000 Sfax, Tunisia. Electronic address: arwakamoun@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kamoun
authors.affiliation: Immunology Department, Hédi Chaker hospital, route El Ain, 3000 Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mahfoudh
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Department, Hédi Chaker hospital, route El Ain, 3000 Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Frikha
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Department, Hédi Chaker hospital, route El Ain, 3000 Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Snoussi
authors.affiliation: Immunology Department, Hédi Chaker hospital, route El Ain, 3000 Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gaddour
authors.affiliation: Immunology Department, Hédi Chaker hospital, route El Ain, 3000 Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hakim
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Department, Hédi Chaker hospital, route El Ain, 3000 Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bahloul
authors.affiliation: Immunology Department, Hédi Chaker hospital, route El Ain, 3000 Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Makni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary / Q000235:genetics; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014605:Uveitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; C099187:MHC class I-related chain A
keywords: Clinical manifestation; HLA; MICA; Manifestation clinique; Polymorphism; Polymorphisme; Tunisia; Tunisie; Uveitis; Uvéite