PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Yihua Zhou AU - Ricardo Giscombe AU - Deren Huang AU - Ann Kari Lefvert TI - Novel genetic association of Wegener's granulomatosis with the interleukin 10 gene. DP - 2002 Feb 01 TA - The Journal of Rheumatology PG - 317--320 VI - 29 IP - 2 4099 - http://www.jrheum.org/content/29/2/317.short 4100 - http://www.jrheum.org/content/29/2/317.full SO - J Rheumatol2002 Feb 01; 29 AB - OBJECTIVE: Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) is a necrotizing vasculitis characterized by clonal expansions of T cells and production of antibodies against proteinase 3. The disease is associated with expanded dinucleotide repeats in the cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) gene, suggesting that genetic variation(s) in T cell related gene(s) could contribute to the T cell hyperactivity in WG. We investigated the polymorphisms in the genes of 2 cytokines, interleukin 4 (IL-4) and IL-10, which are essential for the polarization of T cells towards Th2 development and for the Ig production by B cells. METHODS: Polymorphisms in the genes coding for IL-10 and IL-4 were analyzed in 32-36 Swedish Caucasian patients and 109 ethnically matched healthy individuals. RESULTS: There was no association with the IL-4 gene. A CA repeat polymorphism in IL-10 gene, IL-10.G, was associated with the disease. This polymorphism has earlier been associated with high autoantibody production. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that the IL-10 gene may influence the disease, perhaps by influencing the production of autoantibodies.