Role of polymorphisms in Adamantiades-Behçet's disease

J Rheumatol. 2008 Dec;35(12):2376-8. doi: 10.3899/jrheum.080676. Epub 2008 Oct 15.

Abstract

Objective: We previously showed that Adamantiades-Behçet's disease (A-BD) is associated with a lower incidence of malignancy compared with the general population. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) has been shown to play a role in cartilage regeneration and is increased in patients with A-BD. We also found 2 functional polymorphisms of the TGF-beta pathway, TGFBR1*6A and TGFB1*CC, that are associated with risk of malignancy. We tested whether incidence of these polymorphisms would differ in patients with A-BD compared with healthy controls of similar age and geographic location.

Methods: We performed a case-control study including 139 cases and 128 controls from Greece. Cases and controls were genotyped for TGFBR1*6A and TGFB1*CC.

Results: We found that cases had lower incidence of TGFBR1*6A compared with controls (11.3% vs 13.3%, respectively). Also, the incidence of TGFB1*CC was lower in cases than controls (24.6% vs 27.0%, respectively). These differences were not statistically significant.

Conclusion: Although there is a suggestion that the lower incidence of TGFBR1*6A in A-BD patients may play a protective role against development of malignancy, larger studies would be needed to fully evaluate the role of TGF-beta and its polymorphisms in A-BD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Behcet Syndrome / genetics*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Female
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / genetics
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics*
  • Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I
  • Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta / genetics*
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / genetics*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I
  • TGFBR1 protein, human