Association of polymorphisms in SPARC and NLRP2 genes with rheumatoid arthritis in a Chinese Han population

Abstract

Objectives. To investigate the association of the polymorphisms in SPARC and NLRP2 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a Chinese Han population.

Methods. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) covering SPARC and three SNPs covering NLRP2 were investigated in 624 Chinese Han RA patients and 1920 healthy controls.

Results. The A allele at SPARC rs3210714, SPARC rs11950384, NLRP2 rs2217659, and NLRP2 rs703468 were linked to reduced risk of RA (p = 0.0016, p = 0.0051, p < 0.0001, and p = 0.0033, respectively). Under the recessive model, the A/A genotype of rs3210714, rs11950384, rs2217659, and rs703468 were relevant with RA (p = 0.0071, p = 0.017, p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0066, respectively). Haplotype analysis identified the SPARC GGCG haplotype, AAAA haplotype were associated with the risk for RA (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0015, respectively), while the risk of RA was lower for carriers of the GAAA haplotype (p < 0.0001), AACG haplotype (p < 0.0001), and the AGCG haplotype (p < 0.0001). The NLRP2 GG haplotype was a risk factor (p < 0.0001), while the GA haplotype and the AG haplotype were associated with lower risk of RA (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0017, respectively). There was no significant difference between the RA patients and the controls in polymorphisms of rs7719521, rs1978707, and rs269913.

Conclusion. This study indicates that polymorphisms in SPARC and NLRP2 are related to RA susceptibility in a Chinese Han population.

Keywords:

• SPARC
• NLRP2
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Single-nucleotide polymorphism

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by Natural Science Foundation of China Grant (No. 81172861), Foundation of Scientific and Technological Project of Shandong Province (No.2011GG21829), Shandong Province Excellent Middle-aged and Young Scientists Encouragement Research Foundation (No. BS2009YY025) and a grant of the Shandong Province Science and Technology Development Plan of Medical and Health (No. 2009QZ020). We thank Dr. Xiaofeng Wang for helping us polishing the manuscript.

Conflicts of interest

None.