Association of adiponectin and adiponectin receptor gene polymorphisms with rheumatoid arthritis in a Chinese population.

PURPOSE

To explore the association of adiponectin () and adiponectin receptor () gene single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with genetic susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a Chinese population.

STUDY DESIGN

Five SNPs (rs266729, rs2241766, rs1063537, rs2082940 and rs1063539) and two SNPs (rs7539542 and rs12342) were genotyped in a cohort of 617 patients with RA and 639 healthy controls. Seven SNPs were genotyped using TaqMan genotyping assays on the Fluidigm 192.24 system. The concentration of in plasma was examined by ELISA.

RESULTS

Patients with RA showed a considerably lower plasma level of than healthy controls (p=0.002). No significant differences were observed for the distribution of allele and genotype frequencies of rs266729, rs2241766, rs2082940, rs1063539, rs7539542 and rs12342 SNPs between patients with RA and controls. The genotype effects of recessive and dominant models were also analysed, but no marked evidence for association was found. However, further analysis in female patients with RA showed that the frequency of the gene rs1063539 GG genotype was nominally significantly higher in patients who were anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibody-positive (p=0.040). No significant differences in serum level were observed in patients with RA with different genotypes.

CONCLUSIONS

rs266729, rs2241766, rs2082940 and rs1063539 in the gene and rs7539542 and rs12342 in the gene are possibly not associated with genetic susceptibility to RA, but the gene rs1063539 locus was possibly associated with anti-CCP in RA female patients.