Methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase, transforming growth factor-β1 and lymphotoxin-α genes polymorphisms and susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis.
BACKGROUND
Rheumatoid arthritis is a widely prevalent autoimmune disorder with suggested genetic predisposition.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to detect the pattern of genetic polymorphism of methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR C677 T and A1298 C), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1 T869 C) and lymphotoxin-α (LT-α A252G) in patients having rheumatoid arthritis and correlate these patterns to disease activity and serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), B-Cell Activating Factor (BAFF), and osteopontin.


METHODS
A total of 194 subjects, 90 controls and 104 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were genotyped for MTHFR C677 T and A1298 C, TGF-β1 T869 C and LT-α A252G polymorphisms using a methodology based on PCR-RFLP. Also serum levels of TNF-α, osteopontin and BAFF were measured by ELISA kits.


RESULTS
The CT genotype and T allele of MTHFR C677 T and GG genotype and G allele of LT-α A252G are associated with the risk of RA and with higher levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine, TNF-α in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that there is association between MTHFR C677 T and LT-α A252G genes polymorphisms and increased risk of RA in this sample of Egyptian population.
Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Olfat G
OG
Shaker
Clinical Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Medical Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Amina M
AM
Alnoury
Clinical Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Medical Biochemistry Department, National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt.
Gehan A
GA
Hegazy
Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Hemmat E
HE
El Haddad
Rheumatology & Rehabilitation Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Safaa
S
Sayed
Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. Electronic address: ahramadan777@gmail.com.
Ahmed
A
Hamdy
D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D004534:Egypt; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha / Q000235:genetics*; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000235:genetics*; D015291:Transforming Growth Factors
D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D015291:Transforming Growth Factors; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)
Artrite reumatoide; Gene polymorphism; LT-α A252G; MTHFR C677 T and A1298 C; MTHFR C677 T e A1298 C; Polimorfismo genético; Rheumatoid arthritis; TGF-β1 T869 C