Research article

Roles of TNF-α gene polymorphisms in the occurrence and progress of SARS-Cov infection: A case-control study

Shixin Wang^1* , Maoti Wei^2* , Yi Han¹ , Keju Zhang¹ , Li He¹ , Zhen Yang¹ , Bing Su³ , Zhilun Zhang⁴ , Yilan Hu² and Wuli Hui²

¹  Proteomics Laboratory, Medical College of Chinese People's Armed Police Force, Tianjin, China

²  Department of Epidemiology, Medical College of Chinese People's Armed Police Force, Tianjin, China

³  Department of Respiratory, Pingjin Hospital, Medical College of Chinese People's Armed Police Force, Tianjin, China

⁴  Department for Emergency Diseases, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Tianjin, China

author email corresponding author email* Contributed equally

BMC Infectious Diseases 2008, 8:27doi:10.1186/1471-2334-8-27

Published:	29 February 2008

Abstract

Background

Host genetic factors may play a role in the occurrence and progress of SARS-Cov infection. This study was to investigate the relationship between tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α gene polymorphisms with the occurrence of SARS-CoV infection and its role in prognosis of patients with lung interstitial fibrosis and femoral head osteonecrosis.

Methods

The association between genetic polymorphisms of TNF-α gene and susceptibility to severe acute respiratory syndromes (SARS) was conducted in a hospital-based case-control study including 75 SARS patients, 41 health care workers and 92 healthy controls. Relationships of TNF-α gene polymorphisms with interstitial lung fibrosis and femoral head osteonecrosis were carried out in two case-case studies in discharged SARS patients. PCR sequencing based typing (PCR-SBT) method was used to determine the polymorphisms of TNF-α gene in locus of the promoter region and univariate logistic analysis was conducted in analyzing the collected data.

Results

Compared to TT genotype, the CT genotype at the -204 locus was found associated with a protective effect on SARS with OR(95%CI) of 0.95(0.90–0.99). Also, TT genotype, CT and CC were found associated with a risk effect on femoral head necrosis with ORs(95%CI) of 5.33(1.39–20.45) and 5.67(2.74–11.71), respectively and the glucocorticoid adjusted OR of CT was 5.25(95%CI 1.18–23.46) and the combined (CT and CC) genotype OR was 6.0 (95%CI 1.60–22.55) at -1031 site of TNF-α gene. At the same time, the -863 AC genotype was manifested as another risk effect associated with femoral head necrosis with OR(95%CI) of 6.42(1.53–26.88) and the adjusted OR was 8.40(95%CI 1.76–40.02) in cured SARS patients compared to CC genotype.

Conclusion

SNPs of TNF-α gene of promoter region may not associate with SARS-CoV infection. And these SNPs may not affect interstitial lung fibrosis in cured SARS patients. However, the -1031CT/CC and -863 AC genotypes may be risk factors of femoral head necrosis in discharged SARS patients.