Genotype frequencies of the+874T -> A single nucleotide polymorphism in the first intron of the interferon-gamma gene in a sample of Sicilian patients affected by tuberculosis

In the light of the key role played by interferon (IFN)-gamma in the control of tuberculosis, in the present paper we have evaluated the distribution of the functional +874T --> A IFN-gamma single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in Sicilian patients affected by tuberculosis. Our aim was to determine whether there is an association between the TT genotype, which has been suggested to be linked to an increased production of IFN-gamma, and resistance to chronic tuberculosis. DNA samples were obtained from 45 patients and 97 healthy controls. Polymorphism at +874 was identified using amplification refractory mutational system methodology. The +874T SNP was less frequent in patients than in controls (0.42 vs. 0.50) but the difference was not significant. The +874TT genotype, which has been suggested to be associated with high IFN-gamma production, was significantly decreased in the patients. Thus, resistance to chronic lung tuberculosis might be associated with a genetically determined high IFN-gamma production capacity. In conclusion, the present data add another piece of evidence to the complex puzzle of genetic and environmental factors involved in control of infectious diseases. Studies on cytokine gene polymorphisms may elucidate the complex network of trans -interactive genes influencing the type and strength of responses to environmental stressors and may help to identify the genetic factors that affect survival in humans.