Search J Rheum

Advanced Search

Home

Current Issue

Archives

Guidelines for Authors

Classified Ads

Links

Search PubMed

Subscriptions

Subscriber Registration

Guidelines for Website Users

JRheum Update Service

Contact Info

Polymorphisms in the Mannose Binding Lectin (MBL) Gene Are Not Associated with Radiographic Erosions in Rheumatoid or Inflammatory Polyarthritis

ANNE BARTON, HAZEL PLATT, FIONA SALWAY, DEBORAH SYMMONS, MARK LUNT, JANE WORTHINGTON, and ALAN SILMAN

ABSTRACT.

Objective. To investigate the association between the mannose binding lectin gene (MBL) promoter and structural single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) with development of erosions in a primary care inception cohort of patients with inflammatory polyarthritis (IP).

Methods. DNA was available from 438 patients with IP and radiographic data were available for all patients at 5 years. Four SNP [MBL-550*C/G (H/L), MBL-221*G/C (Y/X), MBL codon 52*C/T, and MBL codon 54*G/A] mapping to the MBL gene were genotyped using primer extension techniques. Allele frequencies were compared between IP cases with erosions by 5 years and those without.

Results. None of the SNP were associated with erosive outcomes by 5 years. Furthermore there was no association with Larsen score by 1 or 5 years or with the change in Larsen score between 1 and 5 years. Similarly, the genotype combinations known to encode for low MBL protein production were not associated with erosive outcome in the IP cohort as a whole or in those with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by 5 years.

Conclusion. Polymorphism within the MBL gene is not associated with presence or extent of erosions by 5 years in patients with RA or IP. (J Rheumatol 2004;31:442-7)

Key Indexing Terms:

MBL
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
GENETICS
INFLAMMATORY ARTHRITIS
EROSIONS


From the Arthritis and Rheumatism Campaign Epidemiology Unit and the Centre for Integrated Genominc Medical Research, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.

Supported by the UK Arthritis Research Campaign.

A. Barton, MRCP, Clinical Lecturer; H. Platt, BSc, Experimental Officer; F. Salway, MSc, Experimental Officer; D. Symmons, FRCP, Professor of Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Epidemiology; M. Lunt, PhD, Research Fellow; J. Worthington, PhD, Reader in Genetic Epidemiology, A. Silman, FRCP, Professor of Rheumatic Disease Epidemiology.

Address reprint requests to Dr. A Barton, ARC-EU, Stopford Building, University of Manchester, UK. E-mail: ABarton@fs1.ser.man.ac.uk

Submitted March 24, 2003; revision accepted September 26, 2003.




Return to March 2004 Table of Contents



© 2004. The Journal of Rheumatology Publishing Company Limited.
All rights reserved.