Effects of receptor activator nuclear factor κB gene polymorphisms on the susceptibility to knee osteoarthritis: A case–control study

The present study aimed to explore genetic association of receptor activator nuclear factor κB (RANK) polymorphisms with individual susceptibility to knee osteoarthritis (OA) in different Kellgren–Lawrence (KL) grades. This case–control study included 138 knee OA patients and 145 healthy individuals. RANK rs1805034 and rs8086340 polymorphisms were genotyped through polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). The effects of RANK polymorphisms on knee OA risk were analyzed via χ(2) test or Fisher exact test, and the results were expressed using odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The C allele of rs1805034 polymorphism had significantly higher frequency in knee OA patients than in controls (P = .044), indicating that this allele could increase the risk of knee OA (OR = 1.424, 95% CI = 1.010–2.008). Besides, the CC genotype and C allele of the rs1805034 polymorphism were significantly associated with elevated risk of knee OA in moderate grade (CC vs TT: P = .018, OR = 3.071, 95% CI = 1.187–7.941; C vs T: P = .012, OR = 1.787, 95% CI = 1.131–2.823). However, rs8086340 polymorphism had no significant association with knee OA risk The C allele of RANK rs1805034 polymorphism is closely correlated with increased risk of knee OA, especially for moderate grade.