All issues > Volume 52(4); 2009

Original Article

Korean J Pediatr. 2009;52(4):476-480. Published online April 15, 2009.

Polymorphisms of tumor necrosis factor-alpha promotor gene in Kawasaki disease and relation to the risk of coronary artery lesion

Se-hwa Sh Kim¹, Jang-won Jw Yun¹, Young-hyuk Yh Lee¹, Eun-jung Ej Cheon¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon, Korea

Correspondence Eun-jung Ej Cheon ,Email: koojook@medimail.co.kr

Abstract

Purpose
: The purpose of this study was to investigate the polymorphisms of the TNF-alpha promotor gene, its susceptibility to Kawasaki disease (KD) and to assess whether the TNF-alpha promotor gene polymorphism was related the risk of coronary artery lesions (CALs).
Methods
: From January 2003 to January 2007, 51 children (30 boys and 21 girls) with KD and 48 children forming an age-matched control group were studied. DNA from the peripheral blood of all the children was sampled, and the DNA polymorphisms of the 5' flanking regions of the TNF-alpha promoter gene at position -308 [guanine (G) to adenine (A)] were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Then, the relationship between KD and the TNF-alpha promotor gene polymorphisms was evaluated.
Results
: The A allele frequency of the -308 site of the TNF-alpha promotor gene was 17.6% (9/51) for children with KD and 6.8% (3/48) for the control group children, but this result was not statistically significant. Twenty-four patients experienced CALs within 60 days after the onset of symptoms. KD children with TNF-alpha -308 A allele had lower frequencies of CALs (12.5% versus 22.2%, P>0.05).
Conclusion
: The DNA polymorphism of the -308 site TNF-alpha gene was not associated with susceptibility to KD and a risk of CALs. Multicenter, large-scale randomized controlled trials are needed for further study.

Keywords :Mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, Coronary arteries, TNF-alpha polymorphism