Background: The human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B27 gene is considered to be a major gene associated with predisposition to ankylosing spondylitis (AS); however, studies have demonstrated that non-HLA-B27 genes also contribute substantially to the susceptibility to AS. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs1004819 and rs10889677, of the interleukin-23 receptor (IL-23R) gene have been shown to be associated with AS susceptibility in European populations. However, ethnicity factors contribute to population splitting and genetic variation, and ethnic-specific genetic association studies are needed to validate these associations in patients from different ethnic backgrounds. This study therefore aimed to replicate the associations between these two SNPs and AS susceptibility in a Chinese Han population.
Methods: A total of 195 AS patients and 203 normal controls were recruited in this study. Two IL-23R gene SNPs, rs1004819 and rs10889677 were selected. Genotyping was performed in all subjects using the TaqMan probe method. Genotype and allele frequencies were compared between AS patients and normal controls by χ2 tests.
Results: There were no significant differences in either the genotype frequencies (TT 36.4%, TC 48.7% and CC 14.9% in AS patients; TT 35.0%, TC 50.0% and CC 15.0% in normal controls) or allele frequencies (T 60.8% and C 39.2% in AS patients; T 60.0% and C 40.0% in normal controls) of rs1004819 between AS patients and normal controls (P > 0.05). In addition, both the genotype frequencies (AA 51.3%, AC 43.1% and CC 5.6% in AS patients; AA 57.6%, AC 35.5% and CC 6.9% in normal controls) and allele frequencies (A 72.8% and C 27.2% in AS patients; A 75.4% and C 24.6% in normal controls) of rs10889677 were also comparable between AS patients and normal controls (P > 0.05).
Conclusions: This study found no evidence for an association between either of the two previously identified AS-susceptibility IL-23R SNPs (rs1004819 and rs10889677) and onset of AS, indicating a possible difference in pathogenesis of AS between Chinese and European patients.