A Study of Susceptibility between Allergic Rhinitis and Tumor Necrosis Factor Gene Polymorphism Study in Korean / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is recognized as a proinflammatory host alert cytokine that is synthesized early during inflammation, and elevations of this cytokine have been reported in patients with allergic rhinitis. The TNF-alpha gene is located on chromosome 6p within the class III region of the major histocompatibility complex. The most widely studied polymorphism within the TNF-alpha gene involves a guanine (G)/adenine (A) substitution at position -308. We therefore tested whether TNF-alpha -308G/A polymorphism are associated with allergic rhinitis in a Korean population. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Blood samples for genetic analysis were obtained from 191 individuals with allergic rhinitis and from 192 healthy subjects without atopic diseases. Polymerase chain reaction-based assay for TNF-alpha -308G/A was used for genotyping. Serum total IgE levels were determined by using the immunoassay. Eosinophil values were determined by eosinophil numbers per total cell numbers per microliter. RESULTS: There were no differences in the frequencies of the genotypes and alleles of TNF-alpha -308G/A in the controls and patients(p>0.05). Blood eosinophil count and total serum IgE levels were not statistically different in the genotypes of TNF-alpha -308G/A in allergic rhinitis(p>0.05). CONCLUSION: We thought that the TNF-alpha -308G/A polymorphism is unlikely to be an important marker for predisposition to allergic rhinitis. A further study involving a larger Korean population might be in need.