Association Study Between SLC15A4 Polymorphisms and Haplotypes and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in a Han Chinese Population

Objective: The gene SLC15A4 (solute carrier family 15 [oligopeptide transporter], member 4) has been reported as contributing to the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We performed a case–control replication study to investigate further the association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the SLC15A4 gene and systemic SLE in a Han Chinese population. Methods: In Han Chinese SLE patients and healthy individuals (n = 355, 375, respectively), 18 SNPs in the SLC15A4 gene were genotyped using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and TaqMan SNP genotyping assays. Analyses of allele frequencies and genotypes using codominant, dominant, and recessive models were conducted, as well as a linkage disequilibrium analysis. P values < 0.05 were considered significant. Results: Allele frequencies of five of the analyzed SNPs were significantly associated with SLE. Under a codominant model the genotype frequencies of rs3765108 AG and rs7308691 AT were ...