Polymorphisms in the STAT4 gene and tuberculosis susceptibility in a Chinese Han population

The signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) gene encodes a transcription factor that transmits signals induced by several cytokines which play critical roles in the development of autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases. We performed an association study between STAT4 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and tuberculosis (TB). 624 TB cases and 598 healthy controls were studied to compare allele/genotype frequencies of 4 SNPs in STAT4. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using logistic regression. Genotyping was performed with the Sequenom MassARRAY SNP genotyping platform. Out of 4 SNPs tested in the study, rs4853542 allele A showed a 25% decreased risk of TB compared with allele G (P = 0.013, OR = 0.75, 95%CI: 0.60-0.94). However, it did not show significant differences under any genetic model after Bonferroni correction. No association was found for the other 3 SNPs with TB. In subgroup analyses, the protective effects of rs485342 allele A were stronger among younger subjects < 25 years (P = 0.002, OR = 0.49, 95%CI: 0.31-0.76). Allele A of the rs4853542 polymorphism in STAT4 is not associated with TB susceptibility, but we demonstrated that rs4853542A allele decreased risk of TB in younger adults after Bonferroni correction.