<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the
association between CTLA-4
gene polymorphism and Henoch-Schönlein
purpura (HSP) in
children.</p><p><b>
METHODS</b>Sixty
children who were diagnosed with HSP were enrolled as the case group, consisting of 33
males and 27
females. Thirty healthy
children were enrolled as the
control group. The
patients were further divided into HSP
nephritis (HSPN) and non-HSPN groups (n=30 each) according to the presence or absence of
nephritis.
Polymerase chain reaction-
restriction fragment length polymorphism was used to analyze the
genotype and
allele frequencies at +49 and -1722 loci.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>AA, AG, and GG
genotypes were detected at +49; neither
genotype nor
allele frequencies showed significant differences between the case and
control groups, between the HSPN and non-HSPN groups, and between
male and
female patients (P>0.05). TT, TC, and CC
genotypes were detected at -1722; neither
genotype nor
allele frequencies showed significant differences between the case and
control groups and between
male and
female patients (P>0.05). There were significant differences in CC
genotype frequency and T and C
allele frequencies between the HSPN and non-HSPN groups (P<0.05). Combinational
analysis of +49 A/G and -1722 T/C showed no significant differences in the
genotype frequency between the case and
control groups and between
male and
female patients (P>0.05). GG-CC combination showed a significant difference between the HSPN and non-HSPN groups (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>CTLA-4 +49 A/G polymorphism is not associated with HSP. CC
genotype and C
allele of CTLA-4 -1722 and the combination of GG at +49 A/G and CC at -1722 T/C may be
risk factors for HSPN.</p>