IL-1B-511C allele, which may be associated with high IL-1B production in the liver, is a genetic marker for the development of HCC in chronic hepatitis B patients in Thai population.

HIN200 is a human IFN-inducible gene and homologous to murine IFI202 gene, which was identified as a candidate gene for SLE susceptibility in lupus mouse model. We determined these gene expressions in leukocytes from 20 SLE patients and 10 healthy controls and in renal biopsies from 29 SLE patients and 15 kidney donors using sensitive real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The expressions of MNDA, IFIX, IFI16 and AIM2 genes significantly increased in leukocytes but not in kidney biopsies from SLE patients as compared to the control individuals, with P = 0.0003, P = 0.0056, P = 0.0002 and P < 0.0001, respectively. We also assessed the expression profiles of IFIX and IFI16 isoforms using semi-quantitative RT-PCR. We found up-regulation of B isoform (short product) of IFI16 in SLE patients. In addition, the expression levels were analyzed in correlation with disease activity and clinical characteristics. Interestingly, higher expression of MNDA was observed in patients who were positive for anti-dsDNA antibodies than in patients who were negative (P = 0.0276). In conclusion, it is suggested that the HIN200 genes have a role in SLE pathogenesis. Our study also observed a possible important role of a specific short isoform of IFI16 as well as a link between MNDA and anti-dsDNA antibody production.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has been known to be associated with HLA class I region. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between HLA-E and genetic susceptibility to nasopharyngeal carcinogenesis by comparing the frequencies of HLA-E alleles in 100 Thai NPC patients and 100 healthy controls. HLA-E typing was performed by means of polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe method. The frequency of the HLA-E*0103 allele and HLA-E*0103, 0103 genotype, but not others, was increased in NPC patients, compared to controls. This observation suggests a possible role for HLA-E in NPC development, possibly via natural killer cell or cytotoxic lymphocyte function.

TNF-α-308AA may play a relevant role in the susceptibility and severity of OLP in the Thai population. However, further investigation of this study is needed.

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