TGF-β Codon 25 Polymorphism and the Risk of Graft-Versus-Host Disease after Allogenic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Some of the genotypes of cytokines are associated with acute graft versus host diseaseafter bone marrow transplantation. The purpose of the present investigation was to find out the possible association between transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) codon 25 polymorphism (rs:1800471) and acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) after bone marrow transplantation from the sibling with the similar HLA among the Iranian population.In this retrospective case-control investigation, 172 subjects including 86 Iranian patientsand their siblings with the similar HLA as donor/recipient pairs were recruited. All of thepatients were diagnosed with one group of blood disorder consisting of Acute MyeloidLeukemia (AML)=40, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)=25 and Chronic MyeloidLeukemia (CML)=21. PCR-SSP method was carried out to ascertain TGF- β1 codon 25G/C polymorphism genotypes.The frequency of TGF- β1 codon 25 GG, GC and CC genotypes among all cases were77.3%, 21.5% and 1.2%, respectively. Recipients with the GG genotype developed severe aGVHD significantly more than those with CC or GC genotypes (Odds Ratio =12.133, P=0.015).Genetic background of TGF-β1 may be involved in aGVHD development and/orseverity in the patients who received Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT) from their siblings with the similar HLA among the Iranian population.