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Polymorphisms in the IκB-α promoter region and risk of diseases involving inflammation and fibrosis

Genes & Immunity volume 2, pages 153–155 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

The transcription factor NFκB regulates inflammatory and other cellular responses. In non-stimulated cells, NFκB is linked to its inhibitor IκB, which plays a major role in controlling NFκB activity. Here, the gene promoter region of the major inducible IκB component (IκB-α) was studied to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and to test if these are associated with risk of two diseases involving inflammation and fibrosis (trachoma and silicosis). Three SNPs were identified at positions −881, −826 and −297 relative to the transcription start site. The position −297 is close to two NFκB binding sites, κB2 and κB3, but the alleles were not associated with either disease. Alleles at positions −881 and −826 were in complete linkage disequilibrium with each other, and the rare haplotype was significantly less frequent among patients with trachoma compared to controls, although there was no difference in frequencies between silicosis patients and controls.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to colleagues who facilitated recruitment of the trachoma and silicosis case-control study subjects, particularly Alison Campbell, Martin Holland, Sadia Mahdi, Ousman Jallow, Gavin Churchyard, Anthony Butterworth, and Brian Williams. We thank the participants and the local Ethical Committees for consent and approval.

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Author notes

  1. N Mozzato-Chamay: NM-C was supported by a training award (83EU-050210) from the Swiss National Science Foundation.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London , WC1E 7HT, Keppel St, UK

    N Mozzato-Chamay, EL Corbett, RL Bailey, DCW Mabey, J Raynes & DJ Conway

  2. Medical Research Council Laboratories, Fajara, P.O. Box 273, Banjul, West Africa, The Gambia

    RL Bailey

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  1. N Mozzato-Chamay
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  2. EL Corbett
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  3. RL Bailey
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  4. DCW Mabey
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  5. J Raynes
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  6. DJ Conway
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Correspondence to DJ Conway.

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Mozzato-Chamay, N., Corbett, E., Bailey, R. et al. Polymorphisms in the IκB-α promoter region and risk of diseases involving inflammation and fibrosis. Genes Immun 2, 153–155 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.gene.6363753

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.gene.6363753

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