Association of Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 4 rs10181656 Polymorphism With Rheumatoid Arthritis and Systemic Sclerosis in Khuzestan Province in Southwestern Iran

Fatemeh GHANAVATI1, Seyed Reza Kazemi NEZHAD1, Mohammad Reza HAJJARI1, Mohammad Reza AKHOOND2

1Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
2Department of Statistics, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

Keywords: Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide, rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatoid factor, STAT4, systemic sclerosis

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the association of polymorphism rs10181656 (C>G) of signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) gene with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic sclerosis (SSc) in the southwest of Iran as well as the probable relationship between the polymorphism with clinical features and disease activity parameters in both diseases.
Patients and methods: A total of 200 patients (120 with RA [21 males, 99 females; mean age 44.83 years; range, 16 to 75 years] and 80 with SSc [13 males, 67 females; mean age 44.3 years; range, 30 to 75 years]) and 120 healthy controls (25 males, 95 females; mean age 46.93 years; range, 30 to 75 years) were recruited in this study. Genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. A set of genotypes was confirmed by sequencing.
Results: A statistically significant association was detected between STAT4 rs10181656 polymorphism and RA (p=0.007). No significant correlation was detected between STAT4 rs10181656 polymorphism and SSc (p=0.357). None of the clinical features (anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide, rheumatoid factor) or disease activity parameters (limited cutaneous SSc, diffuse cutaneous SSc) showed any correlation with the genotype distribution of the STAT4 rs10181656 polymorphism in RA or SSc patients.
Conclusion: Our findings suggest an association between RA susceptibility and STAT4 rs10181656 polymorphism. However, no significant association was found between the mentioned polymorphism and SSc. Clinical features and disease activity parameters did not show any association with the polymorphism.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

Financial Disclosure

This study, as an academic scholarly work, was supported by the Master's thesis grant from Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Iran.

Acknowledgments

This project was supported by Master's thesis grant from Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Khuzestan (Iran). The authors wish to appreciate Rheumatology Clinic at Golestan Hospital of Ahvaz for providing blood samples of patient individuals.