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Lack of Association of VDR Gene Polymorphisms with Thyroid Autoimmune Disorders: Familial and Case/Control Studies

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Abstract

We study the association between three Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms (rs10735810, rs1544410, rs731236) and susceptibility to thyroid autoimmune diseases. Seventy-six affected subjects, belonging to a large family, as well as one hundred unrelated Tunisian patients and one hundred healthy Tunisian controls were genotyped. A family-based association test and a standard chi-square test were used to assess association in family and case-control data, respectively. Our results showed no significant association of the Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms with the susceptibility to thyroid autoimmune diseases in the family. Moreover, allele frequencies for the three polymorphisms in the Tunisian population were similar to those reported in the Tunisian control population and none was associated with the disease. These results suggest a lack of association between the Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to thyroid autoimmune diseases in Tunisian population, in agreement with data from the UK, but in conflict with studies from the Far East.

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Acknowledgment

This work was funded by the Association Française des polyarthritiques, Association de Recherche pour la Polyarthrite, Association Polyarctique, Association Rhumatisme et Travail, Société Française de Rhumatologie, Genopole, Université d‘Evry-Val d’Essonne, Shering-Plough, Pfizer, Amgen, Conseil Régional Ile de France, Conseil Général de L’Essonne, Ministère de la Recherche et de l’enseignement supérieur, Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (France), Ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur, Ministère de la Recherche Scientifique de la Technologie et du developpement des compétences (Tunisie) and the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) Trieste (Italy).

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Correspondence to Abdellatif Maalej.

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Maalej, A., Petit-Teixeira, E., Chabchoub, G. et al. Lack of Association of VDR Gene Polymorphisms with Thyroid Autoimmune Disorders: Familial and Case/Control Studies. J Clin Immunol 28, 21–25 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10875-007-9124-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10875-007-9124-9

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