A functional promoter polymorphism in the macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) gene associated with disease severity in rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

The macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a potent pro-inflammatory cytokine and regulates the anti-inflammator

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) gene polymorphism is associated with susceptibility to but not severity of inflammatory polyarthritis

“…One previous study has investigated the role of the CATT tetranucleotide repeat polymorphism in determining disease severity in RA, and reported that the 5-length repeat (CATT 5 ) was associated with less severe disease. 10 We have not replicated this finding. Studying prevalent RA cases recruited from a hospital setting may not be representative of patients with early IP presenting in the community.…”

“…Presence of the CATT 5 , and particularly homozygosity for this allele, has been reported previously to be associated with less-severe RA using a composite score to assess RA severity. 10 No association of the CATT 5 allele with the absence of erosions, Larsen score, SJC, TJC, seronegativity or HAQ score was detected in this inception cohort of patients with IP (Table 4). There was a trend for the presence of the CATT 5 allele to be associated with a lower TJC at baseline (P ¼ 0.06), but not at 5 years.…”

“…13 Finally, a previous study has investigated the role of the MIF CATT tetranucleotide repeat polymorphism in RA, and reported that the 5-length repeat (CATT 5 ) was associated with less severe disease. 10 In this study, we have investigated the role of polymorphism within the MIF gene and IP. We have found that the MIF-173*C allele and the CATT 7 are Only common haplotypes (>1% frequency) are reported.…”

“…Four alleles of 5-, 6-, 7-and 8-length repeats were detected with frequencies very close to those reported previously in a control population (allele frequencies for 5-, 6-, 7-and 8-length repeats in the control population ¼ 25.2, 65.8, 8.7 and 0.3%, respectively). 10 No deviation from Hardy-Weinberg expectations was observed in the control population (P ¼ 0.55). Presence of the 7-length tetranucleotide (CATT 7 ) repeat was associated with susceptibility to IP ( Table 2) and this association was present in both shared epitope positive (n ¼ 243; P ¼ 0.04) and negative (n ¼ 161; P ¼ 0.03) IP patients.…”

“…Previous work by Baugh et al has an found association with milder disease in the presence of the CATT 5 allele. 10 This allele only occurs on a CATT 5 -MIF-173*G hapolytpe and so this was investigated for association to measures of disease severity and activity. However, no association with the presence of erosions, Larsen score, SJC, TJC, RF or HAQ score was detected (Table 4).…”