Genetic polymorphisms in Spanish rheumatoid arthritis patients: an association and linkage study

HLA polymorphism accounts only for approximately one-third of the genetic predisposition to rheumatoid arthritis (RA). To investigate the role of other loci in the susceptibility to RA, we have performed an analysis of several polymorphisms in genes of immune-related function: IL-10 -1082, -819, -592 promoter single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), IL-10G and IL-10R microsatellites, IL-6 -622 promoter SNP, FcgammaRIIIA Val/Phe-158 polymorphism, IL-1 receptor antagonist VNTR, and the IKBL+738 T/C mutation. The analysis has been performed on a case-control study and also on RA trios. IL-10G12 was found to be associated with RA in the case-control study (18% in RA patients vs 9% in controls: P=0.001; pc<0.05). This allele was also more often transmitted than not transmitted (10 vs 5). No other allele in the present study is found to be associated to RA. Our data suggest that most of the loci studied play no major role in the susceptibility to RA, the IL-10 gene being the sole exception.