Association of NLRC3 gene polymorphism with Graves' disease susceptibility in a Southwest Chinese Han population

Graves' disease (GD) is a frequently-occurring autoimmune thyroid condition, distinguished by complex molecular and cellular alterations. However, the fundamental mechanisms underlying its pathogenesis are still mostly unknown. The objective of this research was to explore the association between gene polymorphisms in candidate genes (NLRC3, SATB1 and USP19) and susceptibility to GD in a Southwest Chinese Han population.

A two-stage association analysis was conducted in 768 GD patients and 768 healthy controls. Genotyping of NLRC3 rs117213971 C > G, SATB1 rs2229261 G > T and USP19 rs11552724 C > G was performed using the Sequenom Massarray platform. Additionally, the expression of candidate genes was assessed using qRT-PCR, and inflammatory cytokines (IL-17, IL-10, and TGF-β1) levels were measured by ELISA.

In the initial phase of statistical analysis, GD patients exhibited significantly higher frequencies of the NLRC3 rs117213971 C > G C allele and a greater prevalence of the CC genotype, a finding confirmed with a larger sample set. Additionally, the NLRC3 rs117213971 C > G CC genotype was significantly associated with increased IL-17 levels, decreased TGF-β1 secretion, and reduced NLRC3 expression.

This study demonstrates a strong correlation between the NLRC3 rs117213971 C > G genotype and susceptibility to GD in the Southwest Chinese Han population, suggesting that NLRC3 expression regulation and inflammatory cytokine secretion may contribute to the development of GD.