Aj. Bathgate et al., Polymorphisms in tumour necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor beta 1 genes and end-stage liver disease, EUR J GASTR, 12(12), 2000, pp. 1329-1333
Objective To determine any relationship between polymorphisms in the genes
encoding tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), interleukin-10 (IL-10) a
nd transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF beta1) and end-stage liver disease
.
Methods Whole-blood samples were taken from patients attending the Scottish
Liver Transplant Unit with end-stage liver disease (primary biliary cirrho
sis, n = 61; alcoholic liver disease, n = 25; primary sclerosing cholangiti
s, n = 17; viral disease, n = 8; type 1 auto-immune hepatitis, n = 8; acute
liver failure, n = 20). DNA was extracted and the polymorphisms at positio
ns TNF - 308, IL-10 - 1082 and TGF beta1 +869 and +915 were determined usin
g sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes. Samples were also analysed from
normal healthy controls.
Results There was a significant difference between patients with primary sc
lerosing cholangitis and healthy controls, with 65% of patients (11/17) pos
sessing at least one TNF2 allele (A at position -308) compared with 38% of
controls (P = 0.02). Four of the eight patients with autoimmune hepatitis w
ere homozygous for TNF2 while the other four were heterozygous (P = 0.001).
No significant difference between controls and patients was seen in polymo
rphisms for IL-10 or TGF beta1. No association between genotype and Child's
class was found in primary biliary cirrhosis.
Conclusion Patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis and auto-immune hep
atitis are more likely to possess TNF2 than normal controls. This allele ha
s been associated with an increased production of TNF alpha in vitro and ma
y indicate a predisposition to these inflammatory conditions. Eur J Gastroe
nterol Hepetol 12:1329-1333 (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.