Polymorphisms in the transforming growth factor-beta gene (TGF-beta) and the risk of advanced alcoholic liver disease.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: There are wide interindividual differences in the risk of developing alcoholic cirrhosis. Transforming growth factor beta(1) (TGF-beta(1)) is the main cytokine involved in liver fibrogenesis. The TGF-beta(1) gene is polymorphic at several sites and these polymorphisms are probably related to differences in the rate of TGF-beta(1) synthesis. Our aim has been to analyse the influence of the TGF-beta(1) gene polymorphisms in the predisposition to advanced alcoholic liver disease (ALD) in ethanol abusers.

METHODS

TGF-beta(1) single nucleotide polymorphisms at positions -509 (C or T), +869 (C or T, codon 10), and +915 (C or G, codon 25) were examined in 165 alcoholics with advanced ALD and in 185 healthy controls.

RESULTS

Among the 94 male patients with oesophageal varices, those carrying the GG genotype at position +915 were diagnosed at an older age than the remaining patients (age 52.1 years, standard deviation (SD) 9.9 vs. 45 SD 13.4, P=0.012). No other statistically significant differences were found in the distribution of the three TGF-beta(1) polymorphisms analysed individually or as combined haplotypes.

CONCLUSIONS

The polymorphisms at the TGF-beta(1) gene analysed in this study are probably not related to the risk of advanced ALD.