ABSTRACT
Introduction. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a multifactorial disease with genetic factors involvement.
Objective: to evaluate the alleles and genotypes frequency of eNOS gene T-786C polymorphism (rs 2070744) in patients with RA and their association with RA severity and cytokine profile changes.
Methods. The eNOS T-786C gene polymorphism was analysed by polymerase chain reaction in 60 patients with RA and 20 healthy individuals. The cytokines level (interleukins -6, -10, -12, and -18) in pg/ml was detected in blood plasma by Immuno-enzyme method.
Results. Wild T-allele dominates over mutant C-allele in the population by 30% (P<0.001). Relative frequency of patients with a high IL-12, IL-6 level production and decreased IL-10 production prevails among the TT- and TC-genotypes carriers (P<0.05). Plasma concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-12, IL-18, IL- 6) in RA patients were 1.96-4.63 times higher than in the control group (P≤0.049), and anti-inflammatory IL-10 was lower 1.68-2.73 times (P≤0.01). Moreover, the IL- 12 and IL-6 plasma content in CC-genotype carriers was higher than in the TT- and TC-genotypes carriers (P<0.05). Immune response imbalance in RA patients is characterized by cellular Th1 immunity activation and insufficient activity of humoral Th2 stipulated by an excessive production of IL-12, IL-18 and IL-6 in CC-genotype carriers and lower content of anti-inflammatory IL-10 in C-allele carriers of eNOS gene, that indicates a presence of acute inflammatory process, high activity of non-specific anti-infectious immune protection and low/insufficient general body reactivity.
Conclusions. Genotypes of the analysed eNOS gene are not additional risk factors of cytokine production changes in RA patients.
Keywords: eNOS gene (rs2070744), rheumatoid ar- thritis, cytokine.
Address for correspondence
Larysa P. SYDORCHUK
Family Medicine Department, Bukovinian State Medical University
Teatralna Sq. 2, Chernivtsi, Ukraine 58002
Tel. +380678784456, e-mail: lsydorchuk@bsmu.edu.ua
