ABSTRACT
Associations have been described between polymorphisms of cytokine and growth factor genes and susceptibility to, or progression of, an increasing number of diseases. TGF-beta 1 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. In this study, single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs] in the TGF beta1gene were investigated as possible markets for the susceptibility or/and progression of psoriasis. Seventy six Egyptian psoriatic patients and eighty controls were screened for one TGF beta 1 SNPs: Arg25Pro. There were insignificant differences between psoriatic patients and controls in allele frequencies of SNP Arg25Pro. However, a significant association between a psoriasis area severity index [PASI] score and the carrying G allele was found [p=0.02], indicating an association with the severity of psoriasis. There was no significant association in carrying any of the alleles between males and females. It is concluded that there is a genetic associations Arg25Pro and the severity of psoriasis. This means that Arg25 may influence clinical course of psoriasis. TGFB1 SNPs may be useful prognostic indiacators for the progression/severity of psoriasis