Association study of the 804C/A and 252A/G polymorphisms in the lymphotoxin-alpha gene for microalbuminuria in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients.

摘要

Inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) and lymphotoxin-a (LTA), previously known as TNF-p play an inflammatory process in atherosclerosis . These two genes are located closely in tandem within the major histocompatibility complex class III region at chromosome 6p21 . As LTA was expressed in atherosclerotic lesions and absence of LTA reduced the size of these lesions in mice , it is possible that LTA may contribute to atherogenesis as a player of vascular inflammation. Recently, the 804C/A and 252A/G polymorphisms in the LTA gene have been identified as a major risk factor for myocardial infarction (MI) in Japanese individuals . Additionally, it has been reported that polymorphism of the LTA gene was associated with the prevalence of type 2 diabetes .