ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To identify the genetic susceptibility to Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) and explore the interaction between low selenium (Se) and the susceptibility gene loci in KBD.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The DNA samples collected from 23 KBD nuclear families were analyzed using PCR and GeneScan Analysis 3.7 and Genotyper3.7 software. The haplotype relative risk (HRR) and transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) were used to test the data of the genotypes. The serum selenium (Se) concentration was measured by atomic fluorescence spectrometry, and the interaction between low Se and the susceptibility loci was calculated using a binary logistic regression.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the 23 nuclear families, the alleles of D2S151 (248 bp), D2S305 (320 bp), and D11S4094 (194 bp) showed significant correlation to KBD (P<0.05). Serum Se concentrations in the studied individuals was 0.037 µg/ml. No significant statistical interaction was observed between low Se exposure and the susceptibility loci (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The polymorphisms in the STR loci D2S305, D2S151, and D11S4094 or the polymorphism loci near them might been related to KBD susceptibility. Low Se exposure shows no significant interaction with the susceptibility loci.</p>