Abstract
Background: STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphism has been evidently associated with susceptibility to Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) in European and Eastern Asian populations, whereas studies in other countries reported otherwise.Objective:We investigated the distribution of STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphism in a group of Syrian RA patients.Methods:Eighty-one RA patients and forty healthy controls were enrolled and STAT4 rs7574865 was genotyped by direct sequencing. RA patients were stratified according to Anti-Citrullinated Protein Antibodies (ACPA) status for analysis.Results:Minor T allele frequencies were 30.4%, 16.7%, and 23.8% in ACPA-positive RA patients, ACPA-negative RA patients, and healthy controls, respectively. No significant differences in STAT4 rs7574865 allele/genotype frequencies were found between ACPA-positive RA patients, ACPA-negative RA patients, and healthy controls (P>0.05).Conclusion: STAT4 rs7574865 TT genotype showed a potential impact on ACPA positivity in Syrian RA patients. However, STAT4 rs7574865 effect on RA onset and severity is minor compared to other genetic factors such as HLA-DRB1 shared epitope alleles.
Highlights
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is one of the most common chronic multifactorial autoimmune disorders [1]
Patients' clinical data including disease duration, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR), C-Reactive Protein (CRP), Rheumatoid Factor (RF), and Anti-Citrullinated Protein Antibodies (ACPA) were obtained from their medical records
Our study included 65 (80.25%) females and 16 (19.75%) males aged 41.4±10.6 years, and whose RA disease lasted for 11.3±6.3 years with ESR and CRP values of 56.7±29.7 mm/hr and 31.1±38.4 mg/L, respectively
Summary
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is one of the most common chronic multifactorial autoimmune disorders [1]. HLA-DRB1 shared epitope alleles remain the major contributor to RA susceptibility [4]. Their involvement has been proved to be restricted to Anti-Citrullinated Protein Antibodies (ACPA)-positive patients [5]. Beyond the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) region, many Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) occurring within numerous genes, including STAT4 [6, 7], have been identified as candidate genetic markers associated with RA [5]. STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphism has been associated with susceptibility to Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) in European and Eastern Asian populations, whereas studies in other countries reported otherwise
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