Genetic polymorphisms near IL-21 gene associated with Th17 cytokines confer risk for systemic lupus erythematosus in Chinese Han population

ObjectiveInterleukin-21 (IL-21) contributes to expansion, differentiation, and modulation of various immunocompetent cells. Deregulated production of IL-21 plays a role of cardinal significance in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We aimed to determine whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) near the IL-21 gene have significant association with SLE susceptibility and the T helper-related inflammatory cytokine profile of SLE patients.MethodsWe enrolled 460 SLE patients and 460 healthy controls. Whole genome analysis was used to investigate different genes including IL-21. Loci rs11725913, rs11937669, rs7676539, rs111438679, rs115935829, rs373549, rs4487356, and rs79923870 were further genotyped using an improved multiplex ligation detection reaction technique. Susceptibility, levels of Th-related inflammatory cytokines, and some clinical indexes of SLE patients were analyzed.Resultsrs11725913 and rs11937669 were identified for association with SLE in Chinese Han Population. The ...