RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a common inflammatory arthritis characterized by axial skeletal inflammation, enthesitis, and association with HLA-B27. Pro-inflammatory cytokines play important roles in the regulation of inflammatory response and seem to be good candidates involved in the development of this pathology. AIM: To assess the influence of the functional polymorphisms of single nucleotide polymorphims (SNPs) of IL-1 and IL-1 Ra in SpA susceptibility Tunisian patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: One hundred and one patients and 100 ethnic-matched healthy controls were genotyped. Susceptibility to SpA was showed with SNP's: C/T of IL-1α (-889) (p=0.0001) and 1/1 of IL-1Ra (p<10-3). Analysis of SpA patients according to clinical behavior of the disease reveled the influence of these polymorphisms in SpA course. Indeed, individuals carrying the allele T (+3954) of IL-1ß and allele 1 of IL-1Ra had an increased risk of peripheral arthritis (p=0.047, p=0.05, respectively). Also the 1/1 genotype of IL-1Ra was significantly decreased in SpA patients having an active disease (BASDAI>4) (p=0.033). CONCLUSION: Genetic polymorphisms of pro-inflammatory IL-1/IL-1Ra cytokines seem to be involved in susceptibility and clinical course of SpA in Tunisian patients.
