Serum amyloid A1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha alleles in Turkish familial Mediterranean fever patients with and without amyloidosis

Amyloid. 2003 Mar;10(1):12-6. doi: 10.3109/13506120308995251.

Abstract

The major complication of familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is AA amyloidosis. The influence of FMF gene (MEFV) mutations and/or unknown environmental factors and other genetic modifiers are likely to affect the phenotypic variations of the disease and the development of amyloidosis. Serum amyloid A is a serum precursor of AA amyloid that is induced by inflammatory cytokines including TNF-alpha. Our analysis of SAA1.1 frequency in Turkish FMF-amyloidosis patients, revealed a higher frequency compared to non FMF-amyloidosis patients but the difference was not significant. On the other hand, the distribution of SAA1.1 homozygosity among FMF-amyloidosis patients was 55.5% compared to FMF-non-amyloidosis patients (30.8%) which was statistically significant revealing a 2.5 fold risk for the occurrence of amyloidosis. There was no significant difference between the controls and FMF patients with and without amyloidosis for the TNF-alpha-308 G-A allele. It is worth noting that all TNF-alpha-308 G-A carriers (n = 6) in FMF-amyloidosis group have SAA1.1 homozygosity compared to 2/11 in FMF-non-amyloidosis group. Further evaluation of these polymorphisms may have importance and need further study.

MeSH terms

  • Alleles*
  • Amyloidosis / genetics*
  • Familial Mediterranean Fever / genetics*
  • Familial Mediterranean Fever / metabolism
  • Familial Mediterranean Fever / pathology
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Kidney / pathology
  • Male
  • Serum Amyloid A Protein / genetics*
  • Serum Amyloid A Protein / metabolism
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / genetics*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism
  • Turkey

Substances

  • Serum Amyloid A Protein
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha