RESUMEN
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the relationship between genetic polymorphism of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha, sites at -238 nt and -308 nt) and susceptibility to chronic benzene poisoning.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The polymorphism of TNF-alpha gene were detected by nested polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique from 50 benzene poisoning patients and 60 control individuals exposed to benzene.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The frequency of the TNF-alpha-238G/G, A/G and A/A in controls (95%, 5% and 0%, respectively), were not significantly different from those in patients (92%, 6% and 2%, respectively, P > 0.05). The frequency of the TNF-alpha-308G/G, A/G and A/A in patients were 76%, 24% and 0% respectively, and that in control individuals were 93%, 7% and 0% respectively. Chi(2) test showed that frequency of TNF-alpha-308A/G in patients was significantly higher than that in controls (chi(2) = 6.22, P = 0.013). Logistic analysis showed that TNF-alpha-308A/G was the independent risk factor of benzene poisoning (OR = 5.3, P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Individuals with TNF-alpha-308A/G gene polymorphism are susceptible to benzene poisoning.</p>