Signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) G>T gene polymorphism in Egyptian cases with rheumatoid arthritis

STAT4 Gene Variant rs7574865 Is Associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis Activity and Anti-CCP Levels in the Western but Not in the Southern Population of Mexico

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a multifactorial autoimmune disease. Currently, several genes play an important role in the development of the disease. The objective was to evaluate the association of the STAT4 rs7574865 and rs897200 gene variants with RA susceptibility, DAS28, RF, and anti-CCP in Western and Southern Mexico populations. Genotyping was performed on 476 samples (cases = 240; controls = 236) using the Taqman® system and qPCR probes. Disease activity was assessed using DAS28 and HAQ DI. CRP, ESR, RF, and anti-CCP were determined for clinical assessment. Our study showed there is a statistically significant association with susceptibility to RA for the rs7574865 variant in the Western population for the GT and TT genotypes. The same genotypes also showed a moderate-to-high activity according to DAS28 and positive anti-CCP compared to the control group. This association was not found in the Southern population. This work confirms the association of the rs7574865 variant with RA, as well as a moderate-to-high activity and positive anti-CCP in the Western population but not in the Southern population. No association of the rs897200 variant was found in any of the studied populations.

Genetic polymorphisms of ACE I/D, IL-1β G > A and IL-4 VNTR among Egyptian subjects with rheumatoid arthritis

BACKGROUND

Various reports examined the contribution of ACE I/D, IL-1β G > A and IL-4 VNTR with the susceptibility to RA but with conflicting findings. The goal of this study is to assess the impact of these three variants with the susceptibility, clinical and biochemical markers in addition to different composite indices of RA.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

This case-control survey enclosed 120 RA Egyptian patients who were emulated with 150 healthy controls from the same territory. Their genomic DNA was genotyped utilising the PCR approach.

RESULTS

RA patients with ACE allele (D) and IL-4 VNTR allele (2 R) were expressively higher emulated with healthy controls (p < .05). Nevertheless, RA patients with IL-1β (A allele) failed to achieve an apparent significant emulated with healthy controls (p > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

This work specifies a noteworthy association for ACE I/D and IL-4 VNTR but not IL-1β G > A polymorphisms with RA susceptibility among Egyptian subjects.

Assessing the association of rs7574865 STAT4 gene variant and type 1 diabetes mellitus among Egyptian patients

Background

Variants in the signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) gene have an important role in the incident of multiple autoimmune diseases including type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D). It is a genetically related auto-immune disorder that resulted from T cell-mediated destruction of pancreatic cells that are in control for the production of insulin in the blood. The current study aimed to clarify the role of STAT4 (rs7574865) variant allelic and genotypic variations in the susceptibility to type 1 diabetes among Egyptians by using the real-time PCR.

Results

A total of 100 patients and 100 controls were genotyped for rs7574865, and the biochemical and anthropometric parameters were measured to show that type 1 diabetic patients had significantly higher levels of HbA1c and triglycerides compared to non-diabetic individuals (P < 0.05). And genetically, the T allele and GT genotype have a significant correlation with diabetes type 1.

Conclusion

It was confirmed by this study that the rs7574865 T allele and GT genotype have a significant correlation with diabetes type 1 incidence among Egyptian patients.

Association of STAT4 rs7574865 and PTPN22 rs2476601 polymorphisms with rheumatoid arthritis and non-systemically reacting antibodies in Egyptian patients

The aim of this study was to investigate association of protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 22 (PTPN22) rs2476601 and signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) rs7574865 polymorphisms with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) susceptibility and to assess potential association with the status of rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies, serum neopterin, and disease activity. RF, anti-CCP antibodies, and neopterin were assayed in serum of 100 unrelated RA patients and 114 controls. STAT4 rs7574865 G/T and PTPN22 rs2476601 C/T polymorphisms were genotyped by the TaqMan allelic discrimination method. The frequency of STAT4 variant allele was significantly higher in RA patients than in controls (p = 0.01), while the variant allele of PTPN22 was identified in only two RA patients, in a heterozygous form and in none of control subjects. The frequency of STAT4 variant allele carrier genotypes (GT+TT) was significantly higher among RA patients than in controls (43.7 vs. 10.5%, p = 0.02) and associated with RA under additive and dominant models. The frequency of RF and anti-CCP positivity was significantly higher among RA patients carrying T allele genotypes compared to patients carrying wild genotype (P = 0.02 and 0.04, respectively). No significant associations between STAT4 variant and serum neopterin or disease activity parameters were identified. Our study confirmed the association of STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphism with RA and was the first to indicate an association with RF and anti-CCP antibodies positivity. We also found PTPN22 rs2476601 has no role in susceptibility to RA in Egyptian patients.

Association of HLA-DP/DQ and STAT4 polymorphisms with ankylosing spondylitis in Southwest China

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a highly heritable complex inflammatory arthritis disease. Genetic factors are thought to be crucial in the pathogenesis of AS. However, few data are available on the relationship between HLA-DP/DQ and STAT4 polymorphisms and AS susceptibility in the Chinese population. Therefore, we examined HLA-DP/DQ and STAT4 polymorphisms (rs3077, rs9277535, rs7453920 and rs7574865) in a total of 779 subjects, including 400 AS and 379 age- and sex-matched healthy controls in Chinese. No significant difference was observed between AS patients and healthy controls in the allele frequency of rs3077, rs9277535 and rs7574865. However, there was a significant association between the HLA-DQ rs7453920 G/A variant and AS patients, with minor allele A correlated with a reduced risk of AS (allelic frequency, adjusted OR=0.66, 95% CI=0.55-0.78, p=4.0E-06; dominant model, adjusted OR=0.75, 95% CI=0.66-0.85, p=1.1E-05). Moreover, the haplotypes block AAA and GGA in the HLA gene significantly correlated with reduced risk of AS. This is the first study demonstrating the significant associations of SNP rs7453920 and the haplotypes in the HLA gene with the risk of AS in Southwest Chinese population. This research sheds new light on the significant relationship between HLA polymorphisms and AS.

STAT4 rs7574865 G/T polymorphism is associated with rheumatoid arthritis and disease activity, but not with anti-CCP antibody levels in a Mexican population

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease in whose etiology genetic factors are known to play an important role. Among the genes associated with RA, STAT4 could be an important factor in conducting helper T cells toward the pro-inflammatory Th1 and Th17 lineages. The aim of this study is to determine the association of the STAT4 polymorphism rs7574865 with RA, disease activity, and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody levels in a Mexican population. Genotyping was carried out using the Taqman® system from Applied Biosystems in 140 patients with RA and 150 healthy subjects. Disease activity was evaluated by a rheumatologist using the DAS28 and Spanish-HAQ-DI instruments. Anti-CCP levels were determined by ELISA. Associations of the genotypes of rs7574865 with DAS28, HAQ, and anti-CCP antibody levels with RA were determined. Findings showed that the GT and TT genotypes and the T allele from rs7574865 were all associated as risk factors for RA, independently of their anti-CCP status. An association with moderate-to-high disease activity (DAS28 ≥ 3.2) was also found. Additionally, patients with the GT or TT genotypes showed lower HAQ values than those who carried the GG genotype. No differences in anti-CCP antibody levels or DAS28 and genotypes were found. This work supports the association of the STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphism with RA and disease activity, but not with anti-CCP antibody levels in a Mexican population.

Association of PTPN22 rs2476601 and STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphisms with rheumatoid arthritis: A meta-analysis update

BACKGROUND

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common autoimmune disease with a complex genetic background. The genes encoding protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 22 (PTPN22) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) have been reported to be associated with RA in several ethnic populations.

OBJECTIVES

This work aims to assess the association between PTPN22 rs2476601 and STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphisms with RA susceptibility through an updated meta-analysis of available case-control studies.

METHODS

A literature search of all relevant studies published from January 2007 up to December 2014 was conducted using Pubmed and Science Direct databases. The observed studies that were related to an association between PTPN22 rs2476601 and STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphisms with RA susceptibility were identified. Meta-analysis of the pooled and stratified data was done and assessed using varied genetic models.

RESULTS

Thirty-seven case-control studies with a total of 47 comparisons (29 for PTPN22 rs2476601 polymorphism and 18 for STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphism) met our inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis showed an association between PTPN22 T allele, CT+TT and TT genotypes with RA susceptibility. Furthermore, The meta-analysis showed an association between STAT4 T allele, GT+TT and TT genotypes with RA susceptibility. Stratification of RA patients according to ethnic groups showed that PTPN22 T allele, CT+TT genotypes, STAT4 T allele and STAT4 GT+TT were significantly associated with RA in European, Asian, African subjects, while PTPN22 TT genotype was significantly associated with RA in European but not in Asian and African subjects and STAT4 TT genotype was significantly associated with RA in European and Asian but not in African subject. A subgroup analysis according to the presence or absence of rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies revealed that the association between PTPN22 rs2476601 and STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphisms with RA susceptibility may not be dependent on RF and anti-CCP antibodies.

CONCLUSIONS

Our meta-analysis demonstrated that PTPN22 rs2476601 and STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphisms confers susceptibility to RA in total subjects and in major ethnic groups. The association may not be dependent on RF and anti-CCP antibodies.