title: Association of TNF-α gene polymorphisms with  the risk of rheumatoid arthritis in  Han Chinese population from Hunan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association of TNF-α-308 gene polymorphism with the risk of RA in Hunan's Han Chinese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 112 patients with RA from Han Chinese population in Hunan were recruited, along with 129 healthy controls. TNF-α-308 (rs1800629) gene polymorphisms were analyzed by PCR-RFLP. Serum levels of TNF-α were detected by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  TNF-α-308 A allele carrier was 3.6% in RA patients and 10.5% in controls (P=0.004); male RA patients displayed noticeably lower rates of TNF-α-308 A allele than that in the male controls (2.8% vs 15.6%, OR=0.179, P=0.007). Patients containing both HLA-DRB1*04 and TNF-α-308 GG genotype showed a significant increase in risk for RA (OR=6.107), no matter they were male (OR=7.273) or female (OR=5.029). Female RA patients with both HLA-DRB1*04 and TNF-α-308 GG showed earlier disease onset and higher TNF-α level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Han Chinese population from Hunan, susceptibility of RA was increased in patients with TNF-α-308 G allele, especially in the female carrier of genotypes; TNF-α-308 A allele may play a positive role in reduction of RA risk in males.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China lifen5295255@sohu.com.
authors.forename: Fen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
authors.forename: Jinwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
authors.forename: Jiesheng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology,  Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
authors.forename: Fanggen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D044466:Asian People; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; C527195:HLA-DRB1*04 antigen; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha