ABSTRACT
FAS and FASL polymorphisms are suggested to play an important role in tubulitis that is a major component of acute rejection. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of FAS-670A/G and FASL-843C/T gene polymorphisms on allograft nephropathy in pediatric renal transplant patients. Fifty three patients [22 males 31 females] aged 2 to 20 years [mean 12.3 +/- 0.6] who had renal transplantation and fifty healthy control subjects [25 males 25 females] were enrolled in the study. Pearsons' Chi Square test was used for the statistical analysis. Survival rates were estimated with the Kaplan Meier method. Age, sex, chronic renal failure etiology, treatment modality and duration and donor type were recorded. FAS-670 A/G and FASL-843C/T gene polymorphisms were compared between renal transplant patients and normal healthy population as well as between renal transplant patients with and without acute rejection. FAS-670A/G genotypes or alleles were not significantly different between control and transplant patients and among transplant patients with and without acute rejection [P<0.005 for all]. FASL-843C/T genotypes and alleles were not different between transplantation and control groups [P>0.05 for all]. However, FASL-843C/T alleles were significantly different between patients with and without AR [P=0.02]. The percentages of C allele were higher in children with acute rejection [68.8% vs 44.6%]. FASL gene polymorphisms may play a major role in acute rejection while FAS polymorphisms have not been found to be different between patients with and without acute renal graft rejection