Neutrophil cytosolic factor 2 (NCF2) gene polymorphism is associated with juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus, but probably not with other autoimmune rheumatic diseases in children

Background: Genetic variations of neutrophil cytosolic factor 2 (NCF2), a subunit of NADPH oxidase, are usually associated with chronic granulomatous disease, and their relationship with autoimmune disorders through the defective NADPH oxidase function during phagocytosis is suggested. Our study aimed to explore whether there is an association between the non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism in the NCF2 gene (rs17849502, NC_000001.11:g.183563445G>T) and the development of juvenile autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

Methods: In order to test this hypothesis, we conducted a pilot case-control study. In total, 709 children and adolescents, all Belarusians, were involved in the study including patients with juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (JSLE), juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), Kawasaki disease (KD), and subjects without autoimmune and inflammatory diseases as the clinical control, as well as health newborns as the population control. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used for genotyping.

Results: The minor T allele of NCF2 occurred most frequently in patients with JSLE (OR = 2.60, 95% CI = 1.18-5.73, p = 0.023 as compared to the clinical control). In groups with JIA and KD, its frequency did not differ from the control. The TT genotype was only observed in 5.7% of patients with JSLE (p = 0.007), but not in other groups.

Conclusion: Therefore, our study suggested that NCF2 rs17849502 polymorphism is a potential genetic risk factor for JSLE, while it is probably not for such autoimmune rheumatic diseases as JIA or KD.