Tumor necrosis factor-α gene polymorphisms in FMF and their association with amyloidosis.

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by periodic provocative attacks of fever with peritonitis, pleuritis, arthritis, or eriseplemya. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) plays an important role in the regulation of the immune response as a part of the cytokine network, including activation of macrophages and apoptosis. We investigated the possible association of TNF-α promoter -1031T/C and -308G/A polymorphisms in 86 FMF patients carrying M694 V homozygous mutation and 100 matched healthy controls both from Iranian Azeri Turks. Our data showed that patients with TNF-α -308 GG are more susceptible to the development of amyloidosis and arthritis (P value <.05). These data also showed that the frequency of TNF-α -308 A allele is considerably low among patients with amyloidosis, and it may have protective role among them (odds ratio [OR] = 0.083, χ(2) = 5.46, P value = .003). Further evaluation of this polymorphism may be important and need further studies.