A targeted association study in systemic lupus erythematosus identifies multiple susceptibility alleles

Genes Immun. 2011 Jan;12(1):51-8. doi: 10.1038/gene.2010.47. Epub 2010 Oct 21.

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disease. Multiple genetic and environmental factors contribute to the pathogenesis of this disease. Recent genome-wide association studies have added substantially to the number of genes associated with SLE. To replicate some of these susceptibility loci, single-nucleotide polymorphisms reported to be associated to SLE were evaluated in a cohort of 245 well-phenotyped Canadian SLE trios. Our results replicate previously reported associations to alleles of interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5), major histocompatibility complex (MHC), tumor necrosis factor (ligand) superfamily member 4 (TNFSF4), Kell blood group complex subunit-related family member 6 (XKR6), B-cell scaffold protein with ankyrin repeats 1 (BANK1), protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 22 (PTPN22), ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2L 3 (UBE2L3) and islet cell autoantigen 1 (ICA1). We also identify putative associations to cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA4), a gene associated with several autoimmune disorders, and ERBB3, a locus on 12q13 that was previously reported to be associated with type 1 diabetes. This study confirms the existence of multiple genetic risk factors for SLE, and supports the notion that some risk factors for SLE are shared with other inflammatory disorders.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Autoimmune Diseases / genetics
  • Female
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease*
  • Genome-Wide Association Study*
  • Humans
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / genetics*
  • Male
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide