Cytokine gene polymorphisms in Chinese patients with type I autoimmune hepatitis / 中华肝脏病杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the role of Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 10 (IL-10) gene polymorphisms in susceptibility to type I autoimmune hepatitis (AIH).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We detected 2 polymorphisms in TNF-alpha promoter gene at positions -238 and -308 and 3 polymorphic sites in IL-10 gene promoter at positions -1082, -819, -592 by polymerase chain reaction and dot blot with probes in the patients with 32 type I AIH and 48 health controls.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Genotypes associated with guanine to adenine substitution at position -308 of TNF-alpha promoter gene occurred more commonly in the patients than in health controls (53.1% vs. 27.1%, RR = 3.05, P < 0.01). There is no significant difference in polymorphisms of TNF-alpha gene at position -238 and 3 polymorphic sites in IL-10 promoter gene between patients and health controls.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Genotypes associated with guanine to adenine substitution at position -308 of TNF-alpha promoter gene (TNF-308A) may involve in the pathogenesis of type I AIH</p>