Abstract
Background:
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that produces non-scarring hair loss around the body. Gene variants of the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA4) gene, a negative regulator of T-cell response, have been associated with a predisposition to autoimmune diseases in different populations; however, the involvement of these genetic variants in the development of AA is controversial.
Objective:
The present study evaluated the potential association of two CTLA4 gene variants with alopecia areata in a Mexican population.
Methods:
We genotyped +49AG (rs231775) and CT60 (rs3087243) variants in 50 AA patients and 100 healthy control participants through PCR-RFLP.
Results:
No statistical difference was observed for either of the gene variants regarding allele or genotype frequencies between AA patients and the controls when the parameters of family/personal history of autoimmune diseases or gender were considered (p > 0.05). Study limitations: Small sample size of patients and the data were obtained from Northeast Mexico population.
Conclusion:
The genetic variants rs231775 and rs3087243 of the CTLA4 gene are not a risk factor for the development of alopecia areata in the analyzed Mexican population.
KEYWORDS
Alopecia areata; Autoimmune diseases; Polymorphism; Single nucleotide