Folyl polyglutamate synthethase ( FPGS ) gene polymorphisms may influence methotrexate adverse events in South Indian Tamil Rheumatoid Arthritis patients

The aim of the study was to look for the association of FPGS 2752 G > A (rs1544105), FPGS 1994 A > G (rs10106), and GGH 452 C > T (rs 11545078), GGH −401C > T (rs 3758149) gene polymorphisms with methotrexate (MTX) treatment response and MTX-induced adverse events in South Indian Tamil patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Further the influence of these gene polymorphisms on MTX polyglutamate levels was analyzed. A total of 330 patients with RA were investigated. FPGS gene polymorphisms were analyzed by TaqMan 5ʹnuclease assay and GGH gene polymorphisms were analyzed by PCR-RFLP. Methotrexate polyglutamates (nmol/L of packed erythrocytes) were measured by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS/MS) method. We found that the heterozygous genotype of FPGS rs1544105 [p = 0.02, OR 1.93, 95% CI (1.15–3.35)] and FPGS rs10106 AG genotype [p = 0.01, OR 2.11, 95% CI (1.20–3.71)] were associated with MTX adverse events. FPGS rs1544105 and GGH −401C > T SNPs influenced the polyglutamate levels. None of the investigated SNPs seems to be associated with MTX treatment outcome.