Tumor necrosis factor α promotor polymorphism and nonsegmental vitiligo: a molecular susceptibility marker in Egyptian women

Background exchange of guanine by adenine at position –308 of the tumor necrosis factor α (tnf α ) promoter region is associated with higher serum levels of soluble tnf α and has been associated with susceptibility to a wide variety of diseases including vitiligo. objective the objective of this study was to investigate the possible association between the tnf α –308 g/a promotor polymorphism and susceptibility to nonsegmental vitiligo in egyptian women. patients and methods genotyping of tnf α –308 g/a by a pcr-rflp assay was performed for 100 female patients and 200 age-matched and sex-matched healthy controls. results the frequency of tnf α – 308 polymorphic genotypes was higher in vitiligo patients compared with controls and conferred an almost three-fold increased susceptibility to vitiligo (odds ratio 2.9, 95% confidence interval 1.56–5.36). no statistically significant differences were found between patients with the wild or the polymorphic genotypes in their clinical characteristics. conclusion tnf α – 308 g/a promotor polymorphism can be considered a genetic risk factor for nonsegmental vitiligo in egyptian women.