p53 codon 72 proline/arginine polymorphism and autoimmune thyroid diseases.

Area of Science:

• Immunogenetics
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• The p53 protein is involved in apoptosis and immunological reactions.
• Autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD) include Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and Graves' disease (GD).
• Genetic factors play a role in the development of AITD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the p53 gene's proline/arginine polymorphism at codon 72 as a potential genetic marker for AITD.
• To determine if specific p53 genotypes are associated with an increased susceptibility to HT or GD.

Main Methods:

• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis was used to screen for the p53 codon 72 (Pro72/Arg72) polymorphism.
• Genotyping was performed on 107 HT patients, 90 GD patients, and 105 normal controls.
• Statistical analysis, including odds ratios and confidence intervals, was used to compare genotype and allelic frequencies.

Main Results:

• Hashimoto's thyroiditis patients showed a significantly higher ratio of the Arg/Arg homozygous genotype (33.7%) compared to normal controls (17.1%; P=0.005).
• The odds ratio for developing HT with the Arg/Arg genotype was 2.450.
• No significant differences in genotype or allelic frequencies were observed for Graves' disease patients compared to controls.

Conclusions:

• The p53 codon 72 proline/arginine polymorphism, specifically arginine homozygosity, is associated with an increased susceptibility to Hashimoto's thyroiditis.
• This p53 polymorphism may serve as a predictive genetic marker for HT development.
• The p53 polymorphism is not significantly associated with Graves' disease susceptibility.