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Rheumatology Advance Access published online on October 12, 2004
Rheumatology, doi:10.1093/rheumatology/keh426
Rheumatology © British Society for Rheumatology 2004; all rights reserved
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Received April 13, 2004
Accepted September 7, 2004

Concise Report

Transforming growth factor beta-1 and gene polymorphisms in oriental ankylosing spondylitis

H. S. Howe 1*, P. L. Cheung 1, K. O. Kong 1, H. Badsha 1, B. Y. H. Thong 1, K. P. Leong 1, E. T. Koh 1, T. Y. Lian 1, Y. K. Cheng 1, S. Lam 2, D. Teo 2, T. C. Lau 1, and B. P. Leung 3

1 Department of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, 11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Singapore 308433
2 Centre for Transfusion Medicine, Health Sciences Authority, Singapore
3 Present address: Department of Physiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: Hwee_Siew_Howe{at}ttsh.com.sg.


  Abstract

Objectives. To study serum levels of transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF{beta}1) and the expression of TGF{beta}1 in in vitro peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cultures in oriental ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients, and to determine their association with codon 10 and 25 TGFB1 gene polymorphisms.

Methods. Serum levels of TGF{beta}1 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The ability of PBMCs to synthesize TGF{beta}1 and other cytokines was assessed by in vitro cultures stimulated with mitogen. Genomic DNA was extracted from PBMCs of AS patients (n = 72) or unrelated healthy controls (n = 96). The codon 10 and 25 polymorphisms in the TGFB1 gene were analysed using standard polymerase chain reaction-based methods.

Results. AS patients had significantly higher serum TGF{beta}1 levels than controls (P<0.001). There was no difference in the distribution of codon 10 and 25 TGFB1 genotypes between AS patients and controls. Incubation of AS and control PBMC with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) led to upregulation of TGF{beta}1, interleukin-10, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF{alpha}) and interferon-{gamma} (IFN{gamma}) assessed by ELISA. Importantly, PHA-induced TGF{beta}1 production was significantly enhanced in AS patients compared with normal controls whereas the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF{alpha} and IFN{gamma} was reduced.

Conclusions. Our results show that AS patients express significantly higher levels of serum TGF{beta}1 independent of the codon 10 and 25 genotype. Activation of AS PBMCs led to enhanced TGF{beta}1 production accompanied by reduction of TNF{alpha} and IFN{gamma} while the converse was observed in normal controls.

Keywords: Ankylosing spondylitis; Transforming growth factor beta-1; Cytokines; Polymorphisms.
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