CTLA-4 exon 1 (+49) and promoter (-318) gene polymorphisms in kidney transplantation

To investigate the association between kidney transplant rejection and the polymorphisms of CTLA-4 gene exon 1(+49) and promoter (-318), genomic DNA of 70 renal transplant recipients and 110 healthy blood donors were genotyped by PCR-RFLP and PCR-SSP, respectively. The patients were classified in two groups: G1 included 33 HLA-identical recipients and G2, 37 one haplo-identical recipients. Thirty-one recipients experienced an acute rejection episode: 10 in G1 and 21 in G2. Ten G2 patients developed chronic allograft dysfunction (CAD). Allelic frequencies and genotype distribution were similar among patients and controls. CTLA-4 exon 1 genotype A/A and CTLA-4 promoter genotype C/C were significantly higher among G2 patients with CAD than without CAD (P < .01). The distribution of CTLA-4 exon I-promoter genes did not reach significance between graft recipients and controls. The genotype frequency of (G/G-C/C) was increased among controls (42.72%) compared with graft recipients (G1 and G2; 35.71%). CTLA-4 polymorphisms gene were associated with susceptibility to chronic allograft dysfunction.