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NRAMP1 gene has multiple pleiotropic effects on macrophage activation pathways. These pleiotropic effects may increase resistance to infections such as tuberculosis (TB), but may also lead to susceptibility of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It has been hypothesized that allele 3 would be associated with autoimmune diseases, whereas allele 2 would be associated with infectious diseases, and genetic factors that enhanced survival in the epidemics of TB might have led to susceptibility for the development of RA. We analysed four NRAMP1 gene polymorphisms including 5′ promoter (GT)n (rs34448891), INT4 (469 + 14G/C) (rs3731865), 3′UTR (1729 + 55del4) (rs17235416) and D543N (codon 543, Asp to Asn) (rs17235409) in 112 patients with TB, 98 patients with RA, 80 healthy controls for TB and 122 healthy controls for RA using ARMS-PCR and PCR-RFLP. We found a significant association between INT4 and RA ( P = 0.004, odds ratio: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.24–3.41), but no significant differences between 5′ promoter, D543N, 3′UTR polymorphisms and RA. There were no associations between NRAMP1 gene polymorphisms and TB. Similarly, no significant differences were observed between NRAMP1 polymorphisms and rheumatoid factor positivity and erosive disease in RA and localization of TB. INT4 polymorphism may be associated with RA in Turkish patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systemic sclerosis (SSc), also termed as “scleroderma”, is a progressive, systemic disease of unknown origin characterized by excessive fibrosis, vascular abnormalities and immune dysfunction. Extracellular matrix (ECM) production by fibroblasts in SSc is modulated and regulated by cytokines. Since IL10 has antiinflamatory properties and, contributes to the fibrotic processes in SSc, we analyzed IL-10 gene polymorphisms including −1082 G/A, −819 C/T and −592C/A in 45 systemic sclerosis patients with lung involvement and 150 healthy control using ARMS-PCR. While no association was found between SSc and −819C/T, −592C/A polymorphism, −1082 G/A allele frequency in SSc patients was higher than that in control and significant association was found between SSc and −1082 G/A (Pc: <0.000, OR: 2.85 95% CI: 1.74–4.63). In addition significant difference was found between the frequencies of the IL-10 GCC, ACC haplotypes (Pc: <0.000, OR: 2.85, 95% CI: 1.74–4.63; Pc: 0.012, O.R: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.09–2.23, respectively), GCC+/GCC+, GCC−/GCC− genotypes (Pc: 0.002, OR: 5.07, 95% CI: 1.82–14.21; Pc: <0.000, O.R: 4.00, 95% CI: 1.87–8.98, respectively) and SSc. Our findings suggest that IL-10 1082 G/A alleles or haplotypes containing these alleles may play role in SSc susceptibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]