ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the association of copy number variations (CNVs) of exon 11 of IL-23 receptor gene with susceptibility to active pulmonary tuberculosis among Chinese Uygurs.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In this study, 250 subjects with active pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and 250 normal controls were recruited. A paired case-control study was conducted in the Chinese Uygur population in Xinjiang and the CNV of IL-23R was analyzed using Taqman real-time PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The study showed that the frequencies of different copy number in exon 11 of IL-23R between PTB and control groups were statistically significant (χ(2)=13.35, P<0.01). There were significant difference in CNV of exon 11 in IL-23R between PTB patients and controls (χ(2)=14.95, P<0.01, OR=2.875, 95%CI: 1.655-4.994). The increase of copy number in exon 11 of IL-23R showed significantly different between PTB and control groups (χ(2)=10.475, P=0.0012, OR=2.611, 95%CI: 1.437-4.744).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The CNV of exon 11 in IL-23R is associated with PTB in the Chinese Uygur population. The increase of the copy number in exon 11 of IL-23R may be a risk factor for PTB in Chinese Uygurs.</p>