Abstract
Background
Psoriasis is a common dermatological disorder, in which autoimmunity plays an important
role. CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (T-regs) have been suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis
of some autoimmune diseases. T-regs express the fork head/winged helix transcription
factor, FOXP3, which appears to be of key importance in the development and function
of T-regs. Studies have found that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the FOXP3 gene contribute to susceptibility to some autoimmune disorders. However, information
about FOXP3 gene in psoriasis is limited.
Objective
This study evaluated the association between FOXP3 gene SNPs and susceptibility to psoriasis in a Han Chinese population.
Methods
In a hospital-based case–control study, 524 patients with psoriasis and 549 psoriasis-free
controls were recruited according to age and gender. We investigated four SNPs in
the FOXP3 gene (-6054, deletion/ATT; -3279, A/C; -924, A/G; IVS9+459, A/G) in psoriatic patients,
and assessed allele and genotype frequencies in psoriatic patients (237 females, 287
males) and normal controls (272 females, 277 males). The polymorphisms were genotyped
using the PCR sequence-specific primer (PCR-SSP) technique and PCR-restriction fragment
length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis.
Results
We found that increased risk of psoriasis was associated with the FOXP3 -3279 AC genotype (adjusted OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.01–1.74) and the combined AC + AA genotype (adjusted OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.07–1.78), compared with the -3279 CC genotype.
We also found that an increased risk of psoriasis was associated with the FOXP3 IVS9+459 GG genotype (adjusted OR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.41–3.58). However, the combined
GA + GG genotype showed no such tendency (adjusted OR = 1.28; 95% CI, 1.00–1.64), compared with the IVS9+459 AA genotype. There was no evidence
of an increased risk associated with the FOXP3-6054 deletion/ATT or FOXP3-924 A/G genotype. In combined genotype analyses, the FOXP3-3279 AC + AA genotype was more obviously associated in males (adjusted OR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.11–2.31) and severe psoriasis patients (PASI score >20; adjusted OR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.41–2.75). Meanwhile, the FOXP3 IVS9+459 GA + GG genotype was also associated with severe psoriasis patients (adjusted OR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.21–2.36).
Conclusions
FOXP3 polymorphisms appear to contribute to the risk of psoriasis in a Han Chinese population.
Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 12, 2010
Accepted:
September 26,
2009
Received in revised form:
September 7,
2009
Received:
January 13,
2009
Identification
Copyright
© 2009 Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
