Cytotoxic T lymphocyte-Associated Antigen +49G Variant Confers Risk for Anti-CCP- and Rheumatoid Factor-Positive Type of Rheumatoid Arthritis Only in Combination with CT60∗G Allele

Abstract EN

Controversial observations have been published on the association of the cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen gene's variants with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

After genotyping 428 patients and 230 matched controls, the prevalence of the CT60∗G allele was more frequent in RF- and/or anti-CCP-seropositive RApatients, compared to the healthy controls (P<.001).

Regression analysis revealed that the CT60∗G allele is a possible predisposing factor for RA in these subgroups.

No accumulation of the +49∗G allele was found among patients, and this variant was not found to correlate with RA.

Assaying the possible genotype variations, the +49∗G-CT60∗G allelic combination was accumulated in seropositive RA-subtypes, and was associated with the risk of RA (OR=1.73, P=.001 for the whole RA-population).

Although the +49∗G allele did not mean a predisposition to RA alone, in combination with CT60∗G it, also conferred risk, suggesting that the +49A/G variant is associated with the risk of RA only in certain haplotypes.