An Allele of IKZF1 (Ikaros) Conferring Susceptibility to Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Protects Against Type 1 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE IKZF1 encoding Ikaros, an essential regulator of lymphopoiesis and immune homeostasis, has been implicated in the development of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (C-ALL). Because recent genome-wide association (GWA) studies have linked a region of the 3′-UTR of IKZF1 with C-ALL susceptibility, we tested whether IKZF1 is associated with the autoimmune disease type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS rs10272724 (T>C) near IKZF1 at 7p12 was genotyped in 8,333 individuals with type 1 diabetes, 9,947 control subjects, and 3,997 families of European ancestry. Association was tested using logistic regression in the case-control data and by the transmission disequilibrium test in the families. Expression data for IKZF1 by rs10272724 genotype were obtained using quantitative PCR of mRNA/cDNA generated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 88 individuals, whereas expression data for five other neighboring genes were obtained from the online Genevar dataset. RESULTS The minor allele of rs10272724 (C) was found to be protective from type 1 diabetes (odds ratio 0.87 [95% CI 0.83–0.91]; P = 1.1 × 10 −11 ). rs10272724 was not correlated with levels of two transcripts of IKZF1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. CONCLUSIONS The major susceptibility genotype for C-ALL confers protection from type 1 diabetes. Our finding strengthens the link between autoimmunity and lymphoid cancers. Further investigation is warranted for the genetic effect marked by rs10272724, its impact on IKZF1 , and the role of Ikaros and other family members, Ailios ( IKZF3 ) and Eos ( IKZF4 ), in autoimmunity.