FOXP3 and TGF-beta gene polymorphisms in allergic rhinitis

ABSTRACT

Regulatory CD4[+]T [Treg] cells are effective in maintaining immune tolerance. To investigate single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs] of Transforming Growth Factor beta-1 [TGF-P 1] and Forkhead Box Protein 3 [FOXP3] genes in Iranian patients with allergic rhinitis [AR]. Variations at codons 10 and 25 of TGF-p 1 and FOXP3 at positions -3279 A>C and -924 A>G were evaluated in AR patients and compared with controls. In a case-control study, 155 AR patients and 163 allergy-free controls were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction sequence-specific primer [PCR-SSP] technique. The analysis of the frequency of these SNPs showed that the haplotype formed by FOXP3 -3279 A allele occurred significantly more frequently in patients than controls [odds ratio=1.44, 95% CI=1.312-2.66; p=0.001]. Our results suggest that polymorphism in FOXP3 gene is associated with susceptibility to AR