Alpha-1-antitrypsin phenotypes in rheumatoid arthritis

ABSTRACT

Samples were collected from 131 rheumatoid arthritis patients [males and females] and 120 healthy controls. Serum alpha1antitrypsin [alpha[1]AT] phenotypes were estimated by isoelectric focusing. The results showed the presence of the alpha[1AT] phenotypes PiM, Z and S in both heterozygous and homozygous states. The PiM subtypes PiM1, M2, M3 and M4 were identified. The prevalence of phenotypes PiM1M1 was significantly lower in rheumatoid arthritis patients while the frequency of PiM1M2 and PiM1Z phenotypes was significantly higher [p<0.05]. The frequency of PiM1, PiM2, PiM3, PiM4, PiS and PiZ genes, in the patients with rheumatoid arthritis was 0.6259, 0.1946, 0.061, 0.0038, 0.0496 and 0.0649, respectively, while in the normal controls the frequency was 0.6458, 0.1750, 0.0750, 0.0208, 0.0500 and 0.033 respectively. The frequency of PiM4 was low in both groups and the difference in the frequency in rheumatoid arthritis patients and controls was statistically significant. No other statistically significant difference could be identified between the two groups.Though the gene frequency of Pi phenotypes was not significantly different in the two groups, however, there was a positive association between alpha[1AT] phenotypes PiM1M2 and PiM1Z and rheumatoid arthritis