Objective: To investigate whether P-selectin gene -2123 polymorphism is associated with the pathogenesis of Henoch-Sch-nlein purpura (HSP) in children.
Methods: Polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) is used to identify the distribution of allele and genotype frequencies of P-selectin gene promoter -2123 polymorphism in 86 children with HSP (including 40 cases of purpura nephritis) and 70 healthy controls.
Results: Compared with the healthy controls, the frequencies of GG genotype and G allele of P-selectin promoter -2123 in children with HSP increased significantly (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in P-selectin promoter -2123 genotype and allele frequencies between the patients with and without nephritis.
Conclusions: P-selectin gene promoter -2123 polymorphism appears to be associated with the pathogenesis of HSP in children.