Modeling of PTPN22 and HLA-DRB1 susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis

In the present paper, we used the North American Rheumatoid Arthritis Consortium data provided for Genetic Analysis Workshop 15 Problem 2 to: 1) estimate the penetrances of PTPN22 and HLA-DRB1 and, 2) test the selected model of PTPN22 conditional on the rheumatoid factor status. To achieve these aims, we used the marker association segregation chi-square method, fitting simultaneously both genotype frequency and identical by descent distributions in a sample of 3690 White individuals from 604 nuclear families. A co-dominant model fitted the rs2476601 (R620W) single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the PTPN22 gene well, whereas a lack of fit for all models was observed for the HLA-DRB1 locus. Testing genetic models of rheumatoid arthritis that include the PTPN22 SNP in addition to the HLA-DRB1 locus did not affect the results, nor did subgroup analysis of PTPN22 conditional on the rheumatoid factor status. In conclusion, PTPN22 R620W SNP is a risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis. The genetic architecture of the HLA-DRB1 locus is highly complex, and more elaborate modeling of this locus is required.