Study on Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha. Gene Polymorphism in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objectives Tumor necrosis factor-alpha .(TNF-alpha.) is a proinflammatory cytokine involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. This study was designed to investigate the relation between TNF-alpha-gene polymorphism and rheumatoid arthritis in Korean population. Methods This study was carried out on 103 rheumatoid arthritis patients who fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology 1987 revised criteria for rheumatoid arthritis and 208 healthy control subjects. Blood samples from all subjects were obtained for DNA extraction. The extracted DNA was amplified by polymerse chain reaction(PCR). PCR products were visualized by 2% agarose gel electrophoresis. We investigated the genotyping of TNF-alpha. by using Pyrosequencing. Results The genotypes of TNF-alpha. gene were GG, AG and AA. While the distribution of TNF-alpha-polymorphism in control subjects was 92.31%, 7.21%, 0.48% respectively, in rheumatoid arthritis patients was 93.20%, 6.80%, 0.00%(GG, AG, AA). There was no statistical significant allelic frequency difference between control and rheumatoid arthritis groups. Conclusion We concluded that there was no significant association between TNF-alpha. gene polymorphism and rheumatoid arthritis. However, the findings of this study need to be confirmed in more patients and further studies.