Associations of protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor 22 (PTPN22) gene polymorphisms with susceptibility to Graves' disease in a Japanese population

Graves' disease and systemic lupus erythematosus: a Mendelian randomization study

Introduction

Previous observational studies have established a correlation between Graves' disease(GD) and systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE). However, whether a causal relationship exists between these two diseases remains unknown.We utilized Mendelian randomization to infer the causal association between GD and SLE.

Methods

This study employed GWAS summary statistics of GD and SLE in individuals of Asian descent. The random effect inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was utilized to aggregate the causal effect estimates of all SNPs. Cochran's Q values were computed to evaluate the heterogeneity among instrumental variables. Sensitivity analyses such as MR-Egger method, median weighting method, leave-one-out method, and MR-PRESSO method were used to test whether there was horizontal pleiotropy of instrumental variables.

Results

Our study found genetically predicted GD may increase risk of SLE (OR=1.17, 95% CI 0.99-1.40, p=0.069). Additionally, genetically predicted SLE elevated the risk of developing GD by 15% (OR=1.15, 95% CI 1.05-1.27, p= 0.004). After correcting for possible horizontal pleiotropy by excluding outlier SNPs, the results suggested that GD increased the risk of SLE (OR=1.27, 95% CI 1.09-1.48, p =0.018), while SLE also increased the risk of developing GD (OR=1.13, 95% CI 1.05-1.22, p =0.003).

Conclusion

The findings of the study indicate that there may be a correlation between GD and SLE, with each potentially increasing the risk of the other. These results have important implications for the screening and treatment of patients with co-morbidities in clinical settings, as well as for further research into the molecular mechanisms underlying the relationship between GD and SLE.

Polymorphisms of the genes CTLA4, PTPN22, CD40, and PPARG and their roles in Graves' disease: susceptibility and clinical features

PURPOSE

CTLA4, PTPN22, and CD40 are immune-regulatory genes strongly associated with GD, as well as PPARG, but their clinical significance in different populations is still uncertain.

METHODS

We genotyped 282 Brazilian GD patients (234 women and 48 men, 39.80 ± 11.69 years old), including 144 patients with GO, and 308 healthy control individuals (246 women and 62 men, 36.86 ± 12.95 years old).

RESULTS

A multivariate analysis demonstrated that the inheritance of the GG genotype rs3087243 of CTLA4 (OR = 2.593; 95% CI = 1.630-4.123; p < 0.0001) and the CC genotype of rs3789607 of PTPN22 (OR = 2.668; 95% CI = 1.399-5.086; p = 0.0029) consisted in factors independent of the susceptibility to GD. The inheritance of polymorphic genotypes of rs5742909 of CTLA4 was associated with older age at the time of diagnosis (42.90 ± 10.83 versus 38.84 ± 11.81 years old; p = 0.0105), with higher TRAb levels (148.17 ± 188.90 U/L versus 112.14 ± 208.54 U/L; p = 0.0229) and the need for higher therapeutic doses of radioiodine (64.23 ± 17.16 versus 50.22 ± 16.86; p = 0.0237). The inheritance of the CC genotype of rs1883832 CD40 gene was more frequent among women (69.65%) than men (52.00%; p = 0.0186). The polymorphic genotype of PPARG gene (rs1801282) was associated with TPOAb positivity (p = 0.0391), and the GG genotype of rs2476601 of PTPN22 gene was associated with positivity for both TgAb (p = 0.0360) and TPOAb (p < 0.0001). Both polymorphic genotypes rs2476601 and rs3789607 of the PTPN22 gene were more frequent among nonsmoking patients (p = 0.0102 and p = 0.0124, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Our data confirm the important role of CTLA4 polymorphisms in GD susceptibility; demonstrate the role of PTPN22 polymorphisms in patients' clinical features; and suggest these genes may influence the severity of the disease.

The Relationship between PTPN22 R620W Polymorphisms and the Susceptibility to Autoimmune Thyroid Diseases: An Updated Meta-analysis

The protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor 22 (PTPN22) R620W polymorphism has been related to susceptibility to autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) with inconsistent results. Therefore, this meta-analysis was designed to assess a more accurate association between the PTPN22 R620W polymorphism and AITD susceptibility. A systematic search of the EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, CBM, CNKI, and WanFang databases was performed to determine relevant publications. Statistical analyses of the odds ratios (ORs), 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and p values were performed using STATA software. Our meta-analysis included 18 separate studies comprised of 4,726 cases and 4,220 controls. In the allele and all genetic models, PTPN22 R620W polymorphism and Graves' disease (GD) (allele model TvsC: OR = 1.573; 95% CI = 1.378-1.795; P < .001) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) (allele model TvsC: OR = 1.737; 95% CI = 1.230-2.454; P = .002) susceptibility was positively associated. A racial subgroup analysis showed that the T allele significantly increased AITD susceptibility in all genetic models involving Caucasians, but not in Asians. This meta-analysis showed that the PTPN22 R620W polymorphism is associated with the risk of GD and HT in the overall study population. In addition, the PTPN22 R620W polymorphism is associated with elevated AITD risk in Caucasians, but not in Asians.

Prediction of Relapse After Antithyroid Drugs Withdrawal: A Narrative Review

Context: Antithyroid drugs (ATD) are the first-line treatment for Graves’ disease (GD); however, relapse following treatment is approximately 30% - 40% in the first year, and 50% - 60% in the long term. Identification of risk factors that predict relapse, after discontinuing ATD, plays an important role in guiding therapeutic options. Evidence Acquisition: PubMed was used to search for studies published in English between 1995 and 2019. The following search terms were used: Graves’ disease, antithyroid drugs, relapse, recurrence, and outcome. The reference lists from review articles were also included in the search in order to find older journals. Results: Factors associated with a high recurrence rate, as reported in most studies, were divided into phenotype and genotype predictors. Phenotype factors included large goiter size, persistence of high TSH receptor antibody (TRAb), severe hyperthyroidism, smoking, younger age, male sex, and prior history of recurrence. Genotype factors included human leukocyte antigen (HLA), CD40, CTLA-4, PTPN22, Tg, and TSHR genes. In a subgroup analysis by age, genetic factors were better predictors in the younger group, while clinical signs were more useful in the older group. The reliability of using individual baseline risk factors to predict subsequent relapse is poor; however, predictive scores calculated by grouping single risk factors might help to predict future outcomes. Conclusions: Longer normalization time of TRAb, the persistence of a palpable goiter, and harboring genetic risk factors in younger patients are associated with high recurrence rate of GD. Multi-marker prediction models have been proposed and validated to improve the predictive value of relapse after ATD withdrawal.

Long-term cardiovascular disorders in the STOX1 mouse model of preeclampsia

Adverse long-term cardiovascular (CV) consequences of PE are well established in women. However, the mechanism responsible for that risk remains unknown. Here, we mated wild-type female mice of the FVB/N strain to STOX1A-overexpressing mice to mimic severe PE and investigated the long-term consequences on the maternal cardiovascular system. Ultrasonography parameters were analyzed in mice before pregnancy and at 3 and 6 months post-pregnancy. At 6 months post-pregnancy, cardiac stress test induced by dobutamine injection revealed an abnormal ultrasonography Doppler profile in mice with previous PE. Eight months post-pregnancy, the heart, endothelial cells (ECs) and plasma of females were analyzed and compared to controls. The heart of mice with PE showed left-ventricular hypertrophy associated with altered histology (fibrosis). Transcriptomic analysis revealed the deregulation of 1149 genes in purified ECs and of 165 genes in the hearts, many being involved in heart hypertrophy. In ECs, the upregulated genes were associated with inflammation and cellular stress. Systems biology analysis identified interleukin 6 (IL-6) as a hub gene connecting these pathways. Plasma profiling of 33 cytokines showed that, 8 of them (Cxcl13, Cxcl16, Cxcl11, IL-16, IL-10, IL-2, IL-4 and Ccl1) allowed to discriminate mice with previous PE from controls. Thus, PE triggers female long-term CV consequences on the STOX1 mouse model.

Identification of susceptibility SNPs in CTLA-4 and PTPN22 for scleritis in Han Chinese

The aim of this study was to determine the association between 13 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA4) and protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 22 (PTPN22) genes with scleritis in a Chinese Han population. We recruited 432 scleritis patients and 710 healthy controls. Four tag SNPs of CTLA4 and nine tag SNPs of PTPN22 were selected using Haploview. Genotyping was performed with the Sequenom MassArray® iPLEX GOLD Assay. Genotype and allele frequency differences were analyzed by χ² test and Bonferroni correction. Haplotype analysis was performed to further evaluate the association of these two genes with scleritis. In this study, CTLA4/rs3087243 G allele frequency and GG genotype frequency were significantly increased in scleritis patients compared to healthy controls [corrected P-value (Pc) = 0·02, odds ratio (OR) = 1·475, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1·175-1·851; Pc = 0·04, OR = 1·546, 95% CI = 1·190-2·008, respectively]. None of the tested SNPs in the PTPN22 gene showed an association with scleritis. Haplotype analysis revealed a lower frequency of a CTLA4 TCAA haplotype (order of SNPs: rs733618, rs5742909, rs231775, rs3087243) (Pc = 4·26 × 10^-3 , OR = 0·618, 95% CI = 0·540-0·858) and a higher frequency of a PTPN22 TTATACGCG haplotype (order of SNPs: rs3789604, rs150426536, rs1746853, rs1217403, rs1217406, rs3789609, rs1217414, rs3789612, rs2488457) (Pc = 2·83 × 10^-4 , OR = 1·457, 95% CI = 1·210-1·754) in scleritis patients when compared to healthy controls. In conclusion, our findings indicate that CTLA4 and PTPN22 might confer genetic susceptibility to scleritis in a Chinese Han population.

Association of PTPN22 polymorphism and its correlation with Graves' disease susceptibility in Polish adult population-A preliminary study

Background

Susceptibility to Graves' disease (GD) is determined by various genetic factors; the gene encoding protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPN22) may be one of those associated with higher risk of GD. The aim was to estimate the association of the PTPN22 gene polymorphism rs2476601:c.C>T (c.1858C>T) with the predisposition to GD within the adult north‐eastern Polish population.

Methods

PTPN22 gene polymorphism was analyzed in individuals with clinical GD history (n = 166) and healthy subjects (n = 154). The presence of different variants of the investigated gene polymorphism was estimated using the DNA Sanger sequencing method.

Results

Patients with GD had a more frequent occurrence of the T gene allele of PTPN22 gene compared to the control group, however, it was not significant (p = 0.257). Analysis of genotype distribution showed significantly more frequent occurrence of TT homozygote in GD patients compared to control individuals (p = 0.016, OR = 9.28). Patients with ophthalmopathy had a less frequent occurrence of the T gene allele of PTPN22 gene compared to patients without ophthalmopathy, however, it was not significant (p = 0.12). Occurrence of the T gene allele of PTPN22 gene in GD manifestation in those under 40‐year old was more frequent compared to individuals over 40, but the obtained difference was also not significant (p = 0.75).

Conclusions

Our preliminary study suggest that PTPN22:c.1858C>T gene polymorphism may be associated with a predisposition to GD within the adult north‐eastern Polish population. The studied polymorphism of the PTPN22 gene did not significantly affect the risk of ophthalmopathy developing and disease manifestation before the age of 40.

CEP128 is a crucial risk locus for autoimmune thyroid diseases

Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) mainly includes Graves' disease (GD) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), and its pathogenesis is not clearly defined. This study was designed to explore risk loci for AITD. Genome-wide genetic data were analyzed to identify important risk loci for GD, and a case-control study with 845 AITD patients and 694 healthy controls was also conducted. The functional role of possible risk loci for GD was explored by analyzing the correlations of Centrosomal protein 128 (CEP128) expression level with intrathyroidal immune cells and key genes for candidate immune cells in GD thyroid tissues. CEP128 was identified as an important risk locus for GD in the genome-wide genetic analysis, and it was located near TSHR without obvious linkage disequilibrium with TSHR. Two tag single-nucleotide variants in CEP128 including a missense variant rs327463 were substantially related to genetic predisposition to GD and HT in the case-control study. CEP128 rs327463 was substantially related to GD under the allele model (OR = 1.31, 95%CI 1.08-1.59, P = 0.006) and the dominant model (OR = 1.37, 95%CI 1.09-1.72, P = 0.008), and it was related to HT under the recessive model (OR = 1.85, P = 0.031) and the homozygous model (OR = 1.91, P = 0.025). Moreover, CEP128 was substantially correlated with the frequencies of T-follicular helper (Tfh) cell and M1 macrophages in GD tissues. Gene set enrichment analysis suggested that CEP128 was related to several common immune pathways involved in GD pathogenesis, such as interferon-γ mediated signaling pathway and toll-like receptor signaling pathway. This study highlight the crucial role of CEP128 in the pathogenesis of GD, and polymorphisms in CEP128 contribute to genetic predisposition to both GD and HT.

PTPN22 1858 C/T Exon Polymorphism is not Associated with Graves' Disease in Kashmiri population

Background

Graves' disease (GD) is a multifactorial autoimmune disease with contribution from both genetic and epigenetic factors in its causation. Association of genetic factors and GD has been extensively studied. Gene "protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor 22" (PTPN22) is an important immunoregulatory gene preventing hyper responsiveness of T cells by negatively regulating their signal transduction. Association of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) 1858 C/T within PTPN22 with some autoimmune diseases has been described.

Methods

We aimed to analyze whether 1858 C/T SNP of PTPN22 gene has any association with GD in Kashmiri population. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism was performed for genotyping 1858 C/T SNP in 135 patients with GD and 150 age- and gender-matched healthy controls.

Results

Among the patients with GD, the frequencies of PTPN22 1858 CC, CT, and TT genotypes were 97.7, 2.2, and 0%, respectively, whereas in healthy controls the frequencies of CC, CT genotypes were 100 and 0%, respectively. No significant association was found between PTPN22 1858 C/T SNP and patients with GD.

Conclusion

GD is not associated with PTPN22 1858 C/T SNP in Kashmiri population. Furthermore, 1858 C/T SNP in PTPN22 gene could be a part of variation in different ethnic populations across the globe.

RNASET2, GPR174, and PTPN22 gene polymorphisms are related to the risk of liver damage associated with the hyperthyroidism in patients with Graves' disease

OBJECTIVES

This study was designed to unveil the association of GPR174 rs3827440, PTPN22 rs3789604, and RNASET2 rs9355610 with the onset of liver damage (LD) among the Graves' disease (GD) patients.

METHODS

A total of 120 GD patients were divided into the none-LD and LD groups. Several indicators were detected for assessing liver functions, and genotypes of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified. Logistic regression was introduced for investigating the relationship between risk SNPs and LD-associated hyperthyroidism in GD patients.

RESULTS

Significant differences were identified between LD and none-LD groups regarding genotype distributions of rs3827440, rs3789604, and rs9355610. Results from logistic regression indicted that among the GD patients, C carriers of PTPN22 rs3789604 were associated with a higher risk of LD-associated hyperthyroidism, while C carriers of rs3827440 (GPR174) and G carriers of rs9355610 (RNASET2) were associated with a reduced risk of LD-associated hyperthyroidism.

CONCLUSIONS

The C allele of rs3789604 (PTPN22) was a significant risk factor for LD-associated hyperthyroidism in GD patients, whereas C allele of GPR174 rs3827440 and G allele of RNASET2 rs9355610 appeared to be a protective factor for this disease.

Associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms of PTPN22 and Ctla4 genes with the risk of allergic rhinitis in a Chinese Han population

BACKGROUND

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an inflammatory disorder of the upper airway. Protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor 22 encoded by PTPN22 gene and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated 4 encoded by Ctla4 gene are associated with autoimmune diseases.

PURPOSE

This study was performed to evaluate the potential association of PTPN22 and Ctla4 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with AR in a Chinese Han population.

METHODS

A case-control study was performed in 783 Chinese AR patients and 811 healthy controls. Three SNPs in PTPN22 gene (rs2488457, rs1310182, and rs3789604) and 6 SNPs in Ctla4 gene (rs3087243, rs231779, rs11571302, rs11571315, rs231725, and rs35219727) were detected using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay (PCR-RFLP).

RESULTS

For PTPN22 gene, a significantly decreased prevalence of the rs2488457 CC genotype and C allele was found in AR patients. The frequencies of the rs1310182 CC genotype, CT genotype, and C allele were significantly associated with the risk of AR. For Ctla4 gene, a significantly increased prevalence of the rs11571302 AA genotype, CA genotype and A allele was noted in AR patients.

CONCLUSION

SNPs of PTPN22 and Ctla4 genes are significantly associated with the risk of AR in the Chinese Han population.

Pooled genome wide association detects association upstream of FCRL3 with Graves' disease

Background

Graves’ disease is an autoimmune thyroid disease of complex inheritance. Multiple genetic susceptibility loci are thought to be involved in Graves’ disease and it is therefore likely that these can be identified by genome wide association studies. This study aimed to determine if a genome wide association study, using a pooling methodology, could detect genomic loci associated with Graves’ disease.

Results

Nineteen of the top ranking single nucleotide polymorphisms including HLA-DQA1 and C6orf10, were clustered within the Major Histo-compatibility Complex region on chromosome 6p21, with rs1613056 reaching genome wide significance (p = 5 × 10⁻⁸). Technical validation of top ranking non-Major Histo-compatablity complex single nucleotide polymorphisms with individual genotyping in the discovery cohort revealed four single nucleotide polymorphisms with p ≤ 10⁻⁴. Rs17676303 on chromosome 1q23.1, located upstream of FCRL3, showed evidence of association with Graves’ disease across the discovery, replication and combined cohorts. A second single nucleotide polymorphism rs9644119 downstream of DPYSL2 showed some evidence of association supported by finding in the replication cohort that warrants further study.

Conclusions

Pooled genome wide association study identified a genetic variant upstream of FCRL3 as a susceptibility locus for Graves’ disease in addition to those identified in the Major Histo-compatibility Complex. A second locus downstream of DPYSL2 is potentially a novel genetic variant in Graves’ disease that requires further confirmation.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-3276-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Association between a gain-of-function variant of PTPN22 and rejection in liver transplantation

BACKGROUND

The protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor 22 gene (PTPN22) encodes a strong T-cell regulator called lymphoid protein tyrosine phosphatase. Previously, PTPN22 was described as a susceptibility gene for autoimmunity because it contains single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with several autoimmune diseases. One SNP (rs2476601; 1858G>A) has emerged as a particularly potent risk factor for autoimmunity. We address the question whether PTPN22 polymorphisms are also associated with acute rejection after liver transplantation.

METHODS

We investigated the influence of six PTPN22 SNPs on the susceptibility to acute liver allograft rejection. Consequently, we carried out a retrospective study genotyping 345 German liver recipients at six SNP loci, which include rs2488457 (-1123G>C), rs33996649 (788C>T), rs2476601 (1858G>A), rs1310182 (-852A>G), rs1217388 (-2200G>A), rs3789604 (64434T>G). Our study enrolled 165 recipients who did not develop rejection, 123 who showed one rejection episode, and 57 patients who suffered from multiple acute rejections after transplantation.

RESULTS

The 1858A allele containing genotypes (GA+AA) and the 1858A allele had a significantly higher frequency in the group of patients with multiple rejection episodes (35.1% and 18.4%) compared to rejection-free patients (15.8% and 7.9%; P=0.022 and 0.023). In contrast, we could not detect any association between rejection and the other tested SNPs. Additionally, we identified one haplotype contributing to risk of multiple rejections, however, exhibiting no stronger impact than the 1858A allele alone.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that the 1858G>A SNP may confer susceptibility to multiple acute liver transplant rejections in the German population.

Influence of molecular genetics in Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease is a systemic autoimmune disorder against melanocytes. Recent studies have identified multiple genetic factors that might be associated with the pathogenesis of VKH disease. We performed an electronic database search of PubMed, MEDLINE, and EMBASE, and all relevant papers published up to 13 June 2014 were reviewed. A total of 1,031 publications including articles relevant to the genetics of VKH disease and the references of these articles were reviewed. The review identified a number of genetic factors which might be involved in the pathogenesis of VKH disease, some of which may alter the clinical course of VKH disease. Genes which might be involved in the pathogenesis of VKH disease included genes expressing HLA, complement factor H, interleukins, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4), killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR), programmed cell death 1 (PDCD1), protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor 22 (PTPN22), osteopontin, tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced protein 3 (TNFAIP3), macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), and other immune response genes. Further studies to explore the correlation among different genotypes and phenotypes of VKH disease will be useful to shed light on the pathogenesis of uveitis in VKH disease and may facilitate the development of new treatment modalities of uveitis in VKH disease.

A functional variant of PTPN22 confers risk for Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome but not for ankylosing spondylitis

BACKGROUND

Protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor 22 (PTPN22) is a key negative regulator of T lymphocytes and has emerged as an important candidate susceptibility factor for a number of immune-related diseases. This study aimed to examine the predisposition of PTPN22 SNPs to Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) syndrome and acute anterior uveitis (AAU) associated with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

METHODS

A total of 1005 VKH syndrome, 302 AAU+AS+ patients and 2010 normal controls among the Chinese Han population were enrolled in the study. Genotyping, PTPN22 expression, cell proliferation, cytokine production and cell activation were examined by PCR-RFLP, Real-time PCR, CCK8, ELISA and Flow cytometry.

RESULTS

The results showed significantly increased frequencies of the rs2488457 CC genotype and C allele but a decreased frequency of the GG genotype in VKH syndrome patients (PBonferroni correction (Pc) = 3.47×10(-7), OR = 1.54; Pc = 3.83×10(-8), OR = 1.40; Pc = 6.35×10(-4), OR = 0.62; respectively). No significant association of the tested SNPs with AAU+AS+ patients was observed. Functional studies showed a decreased PTPN22 expression, impaired cell proliferation and lower production of IL-10 in rs2488457 CC cases compared to GG cases (Pc = 0.009, Pc = 0.015 and Pc = 0.048 respectively). No significant association was observed concerning T cell activation and rs2488457 genotype.

CONCLUSIONS

The study showed that a functional variant of PTPN22 confers risk for VKH syndrome but not for AAU+AS+ in a Chinese Han population, which may be due to a modulation of the PTPN22 expression, PBMC proliferation and IL-10 production.

Genetic heterogeneity of susceptibility gene in different ethnic populations: refining association study of PTPN22 for Graves' disease in a Chinese Han population

In our previous studies, we presumed subtypes of Graves’ disease (GD) may be caused by different major susceptibility genes or different variants of a single susceptibility gene. However, more evidence is needed to support this hypothesis. Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2476601 in PTPN22 is the susceptibility loci of GD in the European population. However, this polymorphism has not been found in Asian populations. Here, we investigate whether PTPN22 is the susceptibility gene for GD in Chinese population and further determine the susceptibility variant of PTPN22 in GD. We conducted an imputation analysis based on the results of our genome-wide association study (GWAS) in 1,536 GD patients and 1,516 control subjects. Imputation revealed that 255 common SNPs on a linkage disequilibrium (LD) block containing PTPN22 were associated with GD (P<0.05). Nine tagSNPs that captured the 255 common variants were selected to be further genotyped in a large cohort including 4,368 GD patients and 4,350 matched controls. There was no significant difference between the nine tagSNPs (P>0.05) in either the genotype distribution or allelic frequencies between patients and controls in the replication study. Although the combined analysis exhibited a weak association signal (P_combined = 0.003263 for rs3811021), the false positive report probability (FPRP) analysis indicated it was most likely a false positive finding. Our study did not support an association of common SNPs in PTPN22 LD block with GD in Chinese Han population. This suggests that GD in different ethnic population is probably caused by distinct susceptibility genes.

Tyrosine phosphatase PTPN22: multifunctional regulator of immune signaling, development, and disease

Inheritance of a coding variant of the protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor type 22 (PTPN22) gene is associated with increased susceptibility to autoimmunity and infection. Efforts to elucidate the mechanisms by which the PTPN22-C1858T variant modulates disease risk revealed that PTPN22 performs a signaling function in multiple biochemical pathways and cell types. Capable of both enzymatic activity and adaptor functions, PTPN22 modulates signaling through antigen and innate immune receptors. PTPN22 plays roles in lymphocyte development and activation, establishment of tolerance, and innate immune cell-mediated host defense and immunoregulation. The disease-associated PTPN22-R620W variant protein is likely involved in multiple stages of the pathogenesis of autoimmunity. Establishment of a tolerant B cell repertoire is disrupted by PTPN22-R620W action during immature B cell selection, and PTPN22-R620W alters mature T cell responsiveness. However, after autoimmune attack has initiated tissue injury, PTPN22-R620W may foster inflammation through modulating the balance of myeloid cell-produced cytokines.

Dense mapping of IL2RA shows no association with Graves' disease in Chinese Han population

OBJECTIVE

Associations between IL2RA and various autoimmune diseases have been reported in Caucasians. We investigated whether genetic polymorphisms at the IL2RA locus were associated with Graves' disease (GD) in the Chinese Han population.

DESIGN

We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in 1 536 GD patients and 1 516 controls. The 1000 Genomes Project data were adopted as references for imputation analysis. After forward and conditional logistic regressions, we found that rs11256313 was the major risk variant in the CD25/IL2RA region. Thus, we further genotyped rs11256313 in a replication cohort with 3 694 GD patients and 3 510 controls using ABI 7900HT TaqMan Real-Time PCR System.

RESULTS

Nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the IL2RA block were nominally associated with GD in our GWAS (0·01 < P < 0·05). After imputation analysis, 13 imputed SNPs in the IL2RA block were weakly associated with GD (P ≤ 0·05). Logistic regression analysis suggested that the imputed rs11256313 could represent the IL2RA block (P = 0·003). However, we failed to replicate the association of rs11256313 in a larger cohort (P = 0·145). A subphenotype analysis of rs11256313 on thyroid hormone receptor antibody (TRAb) and gender showed that there was no association in any of the subphenotype groups (P > 0·05).

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggested that common genetic polymorphisms at IL2RA do not exert a significant genetic effect on the development of GD in the Chinese Han population. Previously reported associations between CD25/IL2RA and autoimmune diseases including GD in Caucasians again imply that heterogeneity exists in different ethnic populations.

PTPN22 polymorphism presumably plays a role in the genetic background of chronic spontaneous autoreactive urticaria

BACKGROUND

The association of chronic urticaria (CU) with autoimmune disorders is relatively well proved. Protein tyrosine phosphatase-22 (PTPN22) is considered to be one of the strongest genetic factors for human autoimmunity. We decided to evaluate whether additional, non 1858C>T, PTPN22 variants are independent contributors to the risk of CU occurrence in the Polish population.

METHODS

A total of 91 CU patients with a positive result of autologous serum skin test and 100 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. The Urticaria Activity Score was used in disease intensity assessment. In all subjects rs3811021, rs1310182 and rs2488457 polymorphisms were genotyped.

RESULTS

We found a higher prevalence of -1123 C allele among CU patients. No differences in the allele and genotype distribution were found in the other analyzed polymorphisms. Haplotype construction of the three SNPs revealed statistically significant CU association of rs2488457C, rs1310182T and rs3811021T.

CONCLUSIONS

Contrary to previous findings, the contribution of PTPN22 to disease susceptibility is suggested. We can speculate that CU is a genetically complex disease and that its occurrence needs multiple genetic and environmental risk factors.

No association of PTPN22 polymorphisms with susceptibility to ocular Behcet's disease in two Chinese Han populations

BACKGROUND

Behcet's disease is known as a recurrent, multisystem inflammation and immune-related disease. Protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor 22 (PTPN22) is a key negative regulator of T lymphocytes and polymorphisms of the PTPN22 gene have been shown to be associated with various immune-related diseases. The present study was performed to assess the association between PTPN22 polymorphisms and Behcet's disease in two Chinese Han populations.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

A total of 516 patients with ocular Behcet's disease and 690 healthy controls from two Chinese Han populations were genotyped by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method for three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was tested using the χ(2) test. Genotype frequencies were estimated through direct counting. Allele and genotype frequencies were compared between patients and controls using logistic regression analysis. The results revealed that there was no association between the tested three PTPN22 SNPs (rs2488457, rs1310182 and rs3789604) and ocular Behcet's disease (p>0.05). Categorization analysis according to the clinical features did not show any association of these three polymorphisms with these parameters (p>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

The investigated PTPN22 gene polymorphisms (rs2488457, rs1310182 and rs3789604) were not associated with ocular Behcet's disease in two Chinese Han populations, and showed that it may be different from other classical autoimmune diseases. More studies are needed to confirm these findings for Behcet's disease in other ethnic backgrounds.

Genetic factors of autoimmune thyroid diseases in Japanese

Autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs), including Graves' disease (GD) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), are caused by immune response to self-thyroid antigens and affect approximately 2–5% of the general population. Genetic susceptibility in combination with external factors, such as smoking, viral/bacterial infection, and chemicals, is believed to initiate the autoimmune response against thyroid antigens. Abundant epidemiological data, including family and twin studies, point to a strong genetic influence on the development of AITDs. Various techniques have been employed to identify genes contributing to the etiology of AITDs, including candidate gene analysis and whole genome screening. These studies have enabled the identification of several loci (genetic regions) that are linked to AITDs, and, in some of these loci, putative AITD susceptibility genes have been identified. Some of these genes/loci are unique to GD and HT and some are common to both diseases, indicating that there is a shared genetic susceptibility to GD and HT. Known AITD-susceptibility genes are classified into three groups: HLA genes, non-HLA immune-regulatory genes (e.g., CTLA-4, PTPN22, and CD40), and thyroid-specific genes (e.g., TSHR and Tg). In this paper, we will summarize the latest findings on AITD susceptibility genes in Japanese.

Association of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Nonreceptor 22 (PTPN22) C1858T gene polymorphism with susceptibility to autoimmune thyroid diseases: a meta-analysis

Results from studies on the association of PTPN22 C1858T polymorphism with AITD risk are conflicting, we thereby perform this meta-analysis to derive a more precise effect on this possible association. Two investigators independently searched the PubMed, Embase, Wanfang and CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) databases. A total of 11 studies with 3764 AITDs cases and 3328 controls were finally identified. Statistically significant association was observed between PTPN22 C1858T polymorphism and AITD risk based on all studies (TT vs. CC, OR=2.18, 95%CI=1.31˜3.62; TC vs. CC, OR=1.50, 95%CI=1.29˜1.73; TT/TC vs. CC, OR=1.41, 95%CI=1.12˜1.78; TT vs. TC/CC, OR=2.00, 95%CI=1.21˜3.33). The results of subgroup analysis showed that: (1) regarding ethnic diversity, the variant genotypes TT/TC of C1858T were associated with a significantly increased AITD risk in Caucasians (TT/TC vs. CC, OR=1.41, 95%CI=1.09˜1.83) (2) regarding different countries, the statistically significantly association was observed in UK (TC vs. CC, OR=1.64, 95%CI=1.36˜1.98; TT/TC vs. CC, OR=1.65, 95%CI=1.37˜1.98) and other countries (including South Tunisia, Russia, Polish, Japanese) (TT vs. CC, OR=3.65, 95%CI=1.43˜9.33; TT vs. TC/CC, OR=3.41, 95%CI=1.34˜8.65). (3) regarding the subtypes of AITDs, patients with Graves' disease (GD) had a significant higher degree of C1858T polymorphism (TT vs. CC, OR=2.35, 95%CI=1.36˜4.05; TC vs. CC, OR=1.46, 95%CI=1.12˜1.89; TT/TC vs. CC, OR=1.54, 95%CI=1.33˜1.80; TT vs. TC/CC, OR=2.16, 95%CI=1.25˜3.72), while no association was observed in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT). No publication bias was observed. Our results demonstrated that PTPN22 C1858T polymorphism was associated with AITD risk, especially in Caucasians.

Susceptibility influence of a PTPN22 haplotype with thyroid autoimmunity in Koreans

BACKGROUND

Considerable amount of evidences in the Caucasians have suggested the association of a missense single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 22 (PTPN22) gene (rs2476601) with several autoimmune diseases including autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD) and type 1 diabetes (T1D). As the SNP was reported to be non-polymorphic in Asians, we attempt to explore an association of PTPN22 without restricting to the rs2476601 with AITD or T1D in Korean population.

METHODS

We studied 389 T1D, 212 AITD (84 Graves' disease and 128 Hashimoto's thyroiditis) patients and 225 controls. In addition to the rs2476601, we selected five testing SNPs spanning 58 kb over the PTPN22 gene using the previous resequencing data and International HapMap Project.

RESULTS

We found that neither alleles, genotypes among all five SNPs, nor reconstructed haplotypes of five SNPs were associated with T1D. Interestingly, a minor allele of a SNP (rs12730735) and a haplotype (GGCTT) showed significant association with the susceptibility of AITD, especially with that of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (p<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that the PTPN22 gene polymorphism independent of the SNP rs2476601 might be a supplementary risk factor to AITD, but not in T1D in Koreans, contradicting a major contributory influence of the PTPN22 gene in explaining common mechanism underlying multiple autoimmune diseases.

The association between polymorphisms of B7 molecules (CD80 and CD86) and Graves' ophthalmopathy in a Taiwanese population

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluates whether B7 molecules (CD80 and CD86) could be used as genetic markers for the development of Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO).

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

PARTICIPANTS

We included 471 patients with Graves' disease (GD; 200 patients with GO and 271 patients without GO) in a Chinese population in Taiwan.

METHODS

An endocrinologist with substantial experience in thyroid diseases identified GO. Blood samples were taken for DNA extraction from GD subjects. The gene polymorphism of CD80 and CD86 was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction in each patient.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Genotypes of CD80 and CD86 polymorphism.

RESULTS

We found that the frequency of C allele at position rs_9831894 of the CD86 gene is different in patients with GD (with and without GO; chi-square test, P = 0.0017). In addition, the multifactor dimensionality reduction method was used to identify the best gene-gene interaction to predict the risk of GO. We identified an interaction between CD80_rs9289131 and CD86_rs9872483 (sign test, P = 0.0010). Moreover, the G-A haplotype was shown to have a protective effect in the development of ophthalmopathy among patients with GD (odds ratio, 0.63; 95% confidence interval, 0.44-0.90). Moreover, among patients with GO, the patients carrying the G-A haplotype had a lower level of free thyroxine T(4) than those not carrying the G-A haplotype (P = 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that the polymorphisms of the CD86 gene may be used as genetic markers for making the diagnosis and prognosis of GO. Therefore, GO could be a disease with complex genetic factors, resulting from the existing gene-gene interaction found in the present study.

Recent advances in the association studies of autoimmune thyroid disease and the functional characterization of AITD-related transcription factor ZFAT

Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), including Graves'disease (GD) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), is caused by immune response to self-thyroid antigens, and affects up to 2-5% of the general population. Twin studies and familial aggregation have clearly indicated the involvement of genetic factors with AITD in addition to environmental factors. Known AITD-susceptibility genes are classified into three categories: HLA genes, non-HLA immune-related genes, and thyroid-specific genes. A comprehensive catalogue of AITD-susceptibility genes with major effects will facilitates elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying the initiation of AITD. Genome-wide association studies conducted for autoimmune diseases in the last few years have identified a significant number of novel loci contributing disease risk. In this review, we describe the current status of genome-wide association studies for GD and the recent advances in the functional characterization of ZFAT, an AITD-related transcription factor previously identified by our genetic analyses for the Japanese GD population.

Association of the protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor 22 haplotypes with autoimmune thyroid disease in the Japanese population

BACKGROUND

A missence single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor 22 (PTPN22) gene known as R620W (rs2476601) was recently reported to be associated with several autoimmune diseases including Graves' disease (GD). The association was repeatedly confirmed in the populations of North European ancestry. However, this amino acid was reported to be nonpolymorphic in the Asian populations. Since the gene confers an impact on autoimmune diseases, we attempt to explore an association between the PTPN22 gene and autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) in a Japanese population without restricting to rs2476601. Previous investigations have also demonstrated that two intronic SNPs (rs706778 and rs3118470) in the interleukin-2 receptor-alpha (IL2RA) gene were associated with type 1 diabetes in the Japanese population.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We genotyped the five SNPs (rs12760457, rs2797415, rs1310182, rs2476599, and rs3789604) of the PTPN22 and the two SNPs (rs706778 and rs3118470 in the IL2RA gene) in 456 Japanese patients with AITD (286 with GD, 170 with Hashimoto's thyroiditis) and 221 matched Japanese control subjects. Seven SNPs were analyzed by either the SNAPshot method or the high-resolution melting and unlabeled probe methods. Case-control association studies were performed using the chi(2) and Fisher's exact tests with Yates correction. Haplotype was conducted using the expectation-maximization algorithm.

RESULTS

No association was found between any of the individual SNPs of the PTPN22 gene and AITD. Permutation analysis revealed that the distribution of one haplotype is significantly different between patients with AITD and controls (p = 0.0036). A novel protective effect of a haplotype containing five SNPs was observed (p < 0.0001 for AITD, p < 0.0001 for GD, and p < 0.0001 for Hashimoto's thyroiditis, respectively). The GG allele of rs3118470 in the IL2RA gene was significantly associated with GD (p = 0.03), although the association was weak.

CONCLUSIONS

Significant difference in the distribution of the haplotype suggests that the PTPN22 gene rather than rs2476601 is involved in the development of AITD in the Japanese population.

Clinical associations of the genetic variants of CTLA-4, Tg, TSHR, PTPN22, PTPN12 and FCRL3 in patients with Graves' disease

OBJECTIVE

Graves' disease (GD) is an organ-specific autoimmune disorder. Both immune-modulating genes and thyroid-specific genes are involved in its genetic pathogenesis. It remains unclear, however, how the interactions of various susceptibility genes contribute to the pathogenesis and clinical severity of the disease. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between GD and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from CTLA-4, PTPN22, PTPN12, FCRL3 (general autoimmunity genes regulating T and B cells) and the TSHR and Tg genes (disease-specific genes). Furthermore, we evaluated the influences these SNPs have on the risk and severity of GD.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This cross-sectional clinical study was performed in 436 GD patients and 316 healthy, gender-matched individuals. Twenty-eight SNPs from CTLA-4, PTPN22, PTPN12, FCRL3, TSHR and Tg genes were genotyped and their associations with the risk and severity of GD were analysed.

RESULTS

The CTLA-4 rs231779, Tg rs2069550 and PTPN22 rs3789604 SNPs were associated with GD, with additive risk effects present in rs231779 and rs2069550. The ACACC and ACGCT haplotypes, composed of five SNPs in the CTLA-4 gene (rs4553808, rs5472909, rs231775, rs231777 and rs231779), were protective and risk haplotypes respectively. The AA genotype of PTPN22 rs3789604 and AA genotype of FCRL3 rs7528684 were correlated with a reduced risk of GD, while the CC genotype of TSHR rs2239610 was associated with higher serum concentrations of FT4 and TRAb. Logistic analysis confirmed the contribution of CTLA-4 rs231779 to the development of GD.

CONCLUSIONS

These preliminary results demonstrate that the immune-regulatory gene CTLA-4 and the thyroid-specific gene Tg contribute to the risk of Graves' disease with additive effects, while PTPN22 rs3789604 and FCRL3 rs7528684 polymorphisms are protective against the disease. In addition, the TSHR rs2239610 SNP is related to the severity of Graves' disease.

Graves' ophthalmopathy and gene polymorphisms in interleukin-1alpha, interleukin-1beta, interleukin-1 receptor and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist

PURPOSE

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is known to have an important role in pathogenesis of Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO). Polymorphisms in IL-1 gene have been associated with autoimmune reactions. This study aimed to investigate the association of GO with single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the IL-1 family (IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-1 receptor [IL-1R] and IL-1 receptor antagonist [IL-1RA]).

METHODS

A total of 57 patients of Graves' disease without GO, 50 patients with GO and 140 healthy controls were enrolled. Patients were recruited consecutively from the outpatient endocrine clinic of a large university general hospital. Cytokine typing was performed by the polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primers assay. The allele and genotype frequencies of the following polymorphisms were determined: IL-1alpha (-889C/T), IL-1beta (-511C/T), IL-1beta (+3962C/T), IL-1R (Pst-1 1970C/T) and IL-1RA (Mspa-1 11100C/T). Genotype distributions among patients were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for all polymorphisms.

RESULTS

Among the five SNPs studied, the frequencies of the T allele and the TT genotype of IL-1alpha (-889C/T) were significantly higher among patients with GO than those without GO (odds ratio [OR] = 2.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.25-3.74; P = 0.006 and 5.67, 95% CI = 1.66-49.34; P = 0.005, respectively). For IL-1RA (Mspa-1 11100C/T), the frequencies of the C allele and the CC genotype were significantly higher among patients with GO (OR = 2.31, 95% CI = 1.34-4.00; P = 0.004 and 6.73 95% CI = 1.94-23.36; P = 0.004, respectively; P < 0.01). No significant association was found for other SNPs.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to show a positive correlation between polymorphisms in the IL-1alpha and IL-1RA genes and susceptibility to GO. These findings promote further research into genetic correlates of GO.

Association studies of the SAS-ZFAT, IL-23R, IFIH1 and FOXP3 genes in autoimmune thyroid disease

Autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs) are complex diseases caused by an interaction between susceptibility genes and environmental triggers. Genetic susceptibility in combination with external factors, such as dietary iodine, is believed to initiate the autoimmune response against thyroid antigens. Abundant epidemiological data, including family and twin studies, point to a strong genetic influence in the development of AITDs. Various techniques have been employed to identify genes contributing to the etiology of AITDs, including candidate gene analysis and whole-genome screening. These studies have enabled the identification of several loci (genetic regions) that are linked to AITDs and, in some of these loci, putative AITD-susceptibility genes have been identified. Some of these genes/loci are unique to Graves' disease (GD) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), and some are common to both diseases, indicating that there is a shared genetic susceptibility to GD and HT. The putative GD and HT susceptibility genes include both immune-modifying genes (e.g., HLA, CTLA-4 and PTPN22) and thyroid-specific genes (e.g., TSHR and Tg). In this special report, we focus on the newest genes identified and not on those previously identified, such as HLA and CTLA-4, for which there are many reviews.

Familial Graves' disease associated with type 1 diabetes

A 59-year-old woman was diagnosed as having Graves' disease and type 1 diabetes. DNA molecular HLA typing detected DRB1(*)0405 and DQB1(*)0401, as well as the haplotypes of DRB1(*)0901-DQB1(*)0303. We also performed polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) to identify allele variations of other loci. The patient's son also manifested Graves' disease and type 1 diabetes, with both cases having strikingly homologous clinical features. Familial clustering of Graves' disease and type 1 diabetes, and their tendency to occur together along with a similar clinical course suggest that their etiology may involve shared genetic factors.