Association Study of a Proliferation-inducing Ligand, Spermatogenesis Associated 8, Platelet-derived Growth Factor Receptor-alpha, and POLB Polymorphisms with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Chinese Han Population

BACKGROUND: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a prototypic autoimmune disease with complex genetic inheritance. This study was conducted to examine whether the association of a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL), spermatogenesis associated 8 (SPATA8), platelet-derived growth factor receptor-alpha (PDGFRA), and DNA polymerase beta (POLB) with SLE can be replicated in a Chinese Han population. METHODS: Chinese SLE patients (n = 1247) and ethnically and geographically matched healthy controls (n = 1440) were genotyped for the APRIL, SPATA8, PDGFRA, and POLB single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs3803800, rs8023715, rs1364989, and rs12678588 using the Sequenom MassARRAY System. RESULTS: The Chinese Han SLE patients and controls had statistically similar frequencies of alleles and genotypes of four gene polymorphisms. Moreover, no association signal was detected on different genetic models (additive, dominant, and recessive, all, P > 0.05) or in SLE subgroups stratified by various clinical manifestations (all, P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Different genetic backgrounds from different ancestries and various populations may result in different genetic risk factors for SLE. We did not detect any significant association with SNPs of APRIL, SPATA8, PDGFRA, and POLB.