Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is the most common autosomal recessive autoinflammatory disease. To date, following the isolation of more than 280 MEFV sequence variants, the genotype-phenotype correlation in FMF patients has been intensively investigated; however, an univocal and clear consensus has not been yet reached. Thus, the aim of this systematic review was to analyze the available literature findings in order to provide to scientific community an indirect estimation of the impact of genetic factors on the phenotypic variability of FMF. This systematic review has been conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. The p.M694V mutation was reported to have a relatively severe clinical course, similarly, patients homozygous for M694I and M680I, or carrying a combination of both at codons 694 and 680, have a severe disease. Also, patients homozygous for M694V and V726A variants experienced more severe clinical picture. Conversely, heterozygous p.V726A and p.E148Q genotypes have been correlated with a milder disease course. At present, doubts remain on the potential pathogenic role of E148Q variant. The heterogenity in clinical FMF manifestations reflects the changes occuring in repertoire of mutations. We believe that clinical criteria and gene tests, enhancing each other, could better support the diagnosis of FMF.

nificant difference was found between UC patients and control group (P > 0.05). In CD and UC patients, no significant association with G908R variant was found. L1007finsC SNP showed an association with CD (9.8%) compared with controls (2.9%, P = 0.002) and UC patients (2.3%, P = 0.01). Moreover, in CD patients, G908R and L1007finsC mutations were significantly associated with different phenotypes compared to CD wild-type patients. No association of IBD with the TLR4 SNPs was found in either cohort (allele frequencies: D299G-controls 3.9%, CD 3.7%, UC 3.4%, P > 0.05; T399I-controls 2.9%, CD 3.0%, UC 3.4%, P > 0.05). CONCLUSION:These findings confirm that, in our IBD patients selected from Southern Italy, the NOD2/ CARD15, but not TLR4 SNPs, are associated with increased risk of CD. Abstract AIM: To evaluate the role of genetic factors in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), we investigated the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of NOD2/CARD15 (R702W, G908R and L1007finsC), and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) genes (D299G and T399I) in a selected inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) population coming from Southern Italy. METHODS: Allele and genotype frequencies of NOD2/ CARD15 (R702W, G908R and L1007finsC) and TLR4 (D299G and T399I) SNPs were examined in 133 CD patients, in 45 UC patients, and in 103 healthy controls. A genotype-phenotype correlation was performed. RESULTS: NOD2/CARD15 R702W mutation was significantly more frequent in CD (9.8%) than in controls (2.4%, P = 0.001) and in UC (2.3%, P = 0.03). No sig-

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In our study, the Glu237Gly polymorphism of the Fcepsilon RI beta gene was associated with atopy. Our results have not pointed out an association between the (C590T) promoter polymorphism of the IL-4 gene and atopy. These data suggest the potential role of the Fc RI beta gene in the development of the allergy.

Our results supported the hypothesis that inherited variations of the CART gene could influence the development of obesity also in Italian children.

Our results suggest that in our group of children with AD, the eotaxin gene may play a crucial role in the development of extrinsic AD, probably with other genetic factors.

The secretory protein, uteroglobin-related protein 1 (UGRP1), is expressed mainly in the lung and trachea and recently has been implicated in asthma. The -112G to A transition in the promoter was reported to be associated with asthma in the Japanese population. However, this has not been replicated in other studies. The aim of this study was to find the association of the UGRP1 gene polymorphism with atopic asthma in the Sicilian population. We conducted a transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) in 73 trios identified through 113 pediatric patients being treated for asthma. A case-control study also was performed by comparing the 113 unrelated asthmatic children and 230 unrelated healthy Italian subjects (121 children and 109 adults). The -112 G/A polymorphism was genotyped by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method and direct sequencing. The TDT revealed that the -112A allele was not preferentially transmitted from the parents to asthmatic offspring (chi-square = 3.08; p = NS). Neither the presence of at least one A allele in an individual's genotype (sum of the G/A and A/A genotype) nor the -112A allele was more prevalent among the asthma subjects than among the control subjects. Our results suggest that the -112G/A polymorphism does not play a significant role in the genetic predisposition of the UGRP1 gene in atopic asthma in the Sicilian population.

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