ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the possible association between interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) gene polymorphism and allergic rhinitis (AR).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Six independent single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP, rs729302, rs4728142, rs3807306, rs2070197, rs11770589, rs2280714) were analyzed. The genotype and allele frequencies were detected in 110 AR patients and 101 healthy controls in Singapore Chinese population by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Rs729302 was rejected as it was not polymorphic. For others SNP, no statistically significant difference was detected in genotype between AR and healthy control group (χ(2) value were 0.21, 5.02, 0.01, 2.91, 0.37, all P > 0.05). No statistically significant difference was detected in allele frequencies between AR and healthy control group (χ(2) value were 0.00, 2.78, 0.01, 2.31, 0.00, all P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>No association is observed between IRF5 and AR in Singapore Chinese population.</p>