MCP-1, RANTES, and SDF-1 polymorphisms in Mexican patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Chemokines and cytokines play an important role in the inflammatory development and progression of autoimmune diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of MCP-1, SDF-1, and RANTES polymorphisms as susceptibility markers for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a group of Mexican patients. MCP-1-2518, SDF-1 G801A, and RANTES-28 polymorphisms were determined in 242 patients with SLE and 220 ethnically matched healthy controls by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique. The differences between patients and healthy controls were evaluated by chi(2), Fisher's exact test, and Woolf method for odds ratio. A moderately increased frequency of MCP-1-2518 A allele (p = 0.033, pC = NS) and AA genotype (p = 0.017, pC = NS) existed in SLE patients compared with healthy controls. There was a relationship between polymorphisms and some clinical and laboratory characteristics. SLE patients with and without antiphospholipid syndrome demonstrated different distribution of SDF-1 G801A genotype frequencies. On the other hand, patients with leukopenia, anti-dsDNA, and antiphospholipid autoantibodies demonstrated different MCP-1-2518 genotype distribution compared with patients without these features. Our results suggest that MCP-1 polymorphism is moderately associated with the genetic susceptibility to SLE in Mexican individuals. The polymorphisms could be related to specific clinical and laboratory characteristics in these patients.