MIF, TGF-β1, IFN-γ and NRAMP1 gene polymorphisms in relation to the clinicopathological profile of spinal tuberculosis in Chinese Han population

MIF, TGF-beta 1, IFN-gamma and NRAMP1 gene polymorphisms play an important role in pathogenesis of immune diseases. However, the relationship between the MIF, TGF-beta 1, IFN-gamma and NRAMP1 gene polymorphism and their correlation with the clinicopathological profile in spinal tuberculosis are still unknown. We undertook this present study to investigate these gene polymorphisms and their relationships between the clinicopathological profile and spinal tuberculosis in Chinese Han population. The genotypes of MIF (rs755622 G/C), TGF-beta 1 (rs1800469 T/C, rs4803455 A/C), IFN-gamma (rs2069718 C/T) and NRAMP1 (rs17235416 del/TGTG) genes were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in 110 spinal tuberculosis patients and 110 healthy controls. The C allele in rs755622 and rs4803455 were both significantly more common in spinal TB patients than healthy controls. The C allele and CC, CT genotype in rs1800469, as well as the C allele and AC, CC genotype in rs4803455 were both significantly higher in patients with CRP level exceeding 10 mg/L and ESR level exceeding 20 mm/h group. The other parameters were not significantly different. The present study suggests that MIF, TGF-beta 1 genes may affect susceptibility to spinal TB and increase the risk of developing the disease and shows that TGF-beta 1 polymorphism at rs1800469 and rs4803455 may be associated with the degree of inflammation in spinal TB.