Investigation of the Relationship Between IL-1Ra VNTR Variants and Psoriasis

Abstract

Aim: Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease characterized by hyperproliferation of keratinocytes. The imbalance between Interleukin-1 (IL-1)/IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) is associated with increased pro-inflammatory cytokine production and the development of inflammatory disorders. The number of repeats in the polymorphic site where IL-1Ra has an 86 bp sequential repeat sequence is of functional importance as it includes possible binding sites for transcription factors. In this context, we aimed to investigate the relationship between psoriasis and IL-1Ra VNTR in Turkish society. Methods: One hundred twenty one patients (79 female/42 male), 250 controls (142 women/108 male) were included in the study groups and genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Genotype and allele distributions were examined between the patient and control groups. The gene counting method was used to calculate the allele frequencies. Results: The Al allele is excessive in the control group (p=0.001). In addition, the fact that all of our patients with psoriasis area and severity index <=10 were carriers of the Al allele. Conclusion: The Al allele may have a protective effect in terms of the severity of the disease and the determination of IL-1 variants may be a guide in determining the treatment protocols of these patients.