Vitamin D receptor polymorphisms in liver transplant recipients.

OBJECTIVES

Liver transplant is an established treatment for end-stage liver failure. Vitamin D has been shown to exert multiple immunomodulatory effects, which act through its own receptor (vitamin D receptor). In the present study, the association between Iranian patients with liver transplant and the polymorphism of vitamin D receptor FokI T>C (rs10735810) was investigated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The candidate gene locus was genotyped in 51 liver transplant recipients, and the association of each genotype with allograft acute rejection was evaluated.

RESULTS

In this study, we found no evidence to suggest that vitamin D receptor FokI polymorphism determines the incidence of acute rejection after liver transplant. The distribution of alleles was not different according to the underlying liver disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Larger epidemiologic studies are needed to elucidate the importance of vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism in transplant recipients.