A CARD9 single-nucleotide polymorphism rs4077515 is associated with reduced susceptibility to and severity of primary immune thrombocytopenia

Primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an acquired autoimmune disease characterized by a low platelet count and consequent increased risk of bleeding. The etiology underlying this condition remains poorly understood. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs4077515 in the caspase recruitment domain-containing protein 9 (CARD9) gene with the pathogenesis and therapy of ITP. Two hundred ninety-four patients with ITP and 324 age-matched healthy participants were recruited in this case-control study. Genotyping of CARD9 rs4077515 polymorphism was performed by Sanger sequencing. Our results revealed that a polymorphism rs4077515 in CARD9 gene is associated with decreased risk of susceptibility to and severity of ITP (susceptibility: codominant, AA vs. GG, OR = 0.175, 95% CI = 0.054-0.776, p = 0.001; recessive, GG + AG vs. AA, OR = 6.183, 95% CI = 2.287-16.715, p < 0.001; severity: allele, A vs. G, OR = 0.685, 95% CI = 0.476-0.985, p = 0.041; codominant, AG vs. GG, OR = 0.571, 95% CI = 0.350-0.931, p = 0.025; dominant, AA + AG vs. GG, OR = 0.558, 95% CI = 0.343-0.907, p = 0.019). The existence of the allele A, the mutant AA genotype and the heterozygous AG genotype of CARD9 rs4077515, plays a protective role in ITP. However, CARD9 rs4077515 polymorphism had no effect on corticosteroid sensitivity or refractoriness of ITP.