To investigate the association of two common CTLA-4 variants with T1D susceptibility in the Kurdish population and evaluate their correlation with anti-GAD antibody positivity and CTLA-4 gene expression.
Approach:
Study Population: 52 patients with T1D and 21 healthy controls were genotyped for CTLA-4 SNPs A>G (rs231775) and -318 C>T (rs5742909).
Serological Tests: Serum anti-GAD antibody levels were measured by ELISA, and CTLA-4 gene expression was assessed using quantitative real-time PCR.
Key Findings:
The GG genotype of the +49A/G polymorphism exhibited a greater prevalence in anti-GAD positive patients relative to negative individuals (77.78% vs. 22.22%), indicating an elevated risk trend (OR = 2.77, 95% CI: 0.51–14.91); however, this finding did not achieve statistical significance (P = 0.28).
Interpretation:
The G allele of the CTLA-4 +49 A>G variant is associated with increased T1D susceptibility in the Kurdish population.
Limitations:
Small sample size may limit the generalizability of findings.
The study is preliminary and requires further investigation to confirm results.
Conclusion:
The study suggests a potential link between CTLA-4 genetic variants and T1D susceptibility in the Kurdish population.
Researchers linked several pregnancy urinary biomarkers—especially plasticizer and combustion-related chemical metabolites—to small shifts in gestational age and fetal growth measures in the ECHO Cohort.
