Association Between AIRE Polymorphisms rs870881(C>T), rs1003854(T>C) and Rheumatoid Arthritis Risk: A Hungarian Case-control Study

• Published in: In vivo (Athens) Vol. 38; no. 2; pp. 774 - 784
• Main Authors: BERCZI, BALINT, NUSSER, NÓRA, PETER, IVAN, NEMETH, BALAZS, GYONGYI, ZOLTAN
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Greece International Institute of Anticancer Research 01.03.2024
• Subjects: Alleles; Antigens; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - genetics; Autoimmune diseases; Case-Control Studies; Consent; Disease; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genomes; Genotype; Humans; Hungary; Immune system; Kinases; Lymphocytes; Polymerase chain reaction; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Proteins; Rheumatoid arthritis; Rheumatology; T cell receptors; Hungary; United States > US; allelic discrimination; C-reactive protein; Autoimmune regulator; single-nucleotide polymorphism; rheumatoid arthritis
• ISSN: 0258-851X; 1791-7549; 1791-7549
• DOI: 10.21873/invivo.13501

Autoimmune regulator (AIRE) is a transcription factor that plays pivotal role in controlling autoimmunity. In the thymus, it supports the presentation of peripheral tissue antigens to developing T cells, where recognition of these self-antigens negatively selects the autoimmune naïve T-cells by central tolerance. Studies demonstrated that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in AIRE alter transcription and propagate clonal survival of autoimmune T cells, therefore increase susceptibility to autoimmune diseases. This study intended to identify SNPs in exon and intron sequences that determine AIRE transcription, where their genotypes are associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) risk and clinical parameters. After a thorough in silico research, we enrolled 100 patients with RA and 100 healthy controls to analyze the association of SNP rs870881(C>T) and rs1003854(T>C) in AIRE coding sequence with RA risk by using five different genetic models and selected clinical parameters. Multiplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to determine allelic discrimination of SNPs. RA risk was assessed by odds ratios (ORs) and confidence intervals (CIs). In a recessive model of rs878081, minor allele TT homozygotes were associated with RA (p=0.032, OR=5.44, 95%CI=1.16-25.52); in a recessive model of rs1003854, minor allele CC homozygotes were associated with RA (p=0.047, OR=4.84, 95%CI=1.02-23.02). Higher C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in patients with RA were significantly associated with minor allele homozygotes in recessive and codominant genetic models (p=0.029 and p=0.043, respectively) of rs1003854. Genotypes for minor alleles of rs878081 and rs1003854 might be involved in RA pathogenesis and risk prediction.