Association of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A gene polymorphisms with susceptibility to Systemic lupus erythematosus in Iranian population

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune, autoinflammatory disorder in which genetic factors have been implicated in the etiopathogenesis of the disease. Elevated levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) have been reported in patients with SLE. This study intended to evaluate the association of VEGFA gene rs833061 and rs2010963 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with the risk of SLE susceptibility in the Iranian population.

In this case-control study, 400 SLE patients and 400 age-, sex-, and ethnically-matched healthy controls were recruited. Genotyping of VEGFA gene rs833061 and rs2010963 polymorphisms in both SLE and control groups was done through the real-time PCR allelic discrimination technique.

It was detected that none of the alleles nor genotypes of both rs833061 and rs2010963 SNPs had a statistically significant difference between patient and control groups. Moreover, the haplotypes were not associated with the SLE susceptibility. However, rs833061 and rs2010963 polymorphisms were in linkage disequilibrium according to Dꞌ= 95 %, but not according to the r2= 42%. The associations between rs833061 (C vs. T: OR= 0.98, 95% CI= 0.80-1.20, P= 0.87) and rs2010963 (C vs. G: OR= 0.89, 95% CI= 0.73 - 1.09, P= 0.28) with risk of SLE were not significant. The clinical data of the patients, including anti-dsDNA (P= 0.036), anti-SSA (P= 0.039), and anti-SSAB (P= 0.036), were associated with the genotypes of VEGFA gene rs2010963 SNP.

We recognize that VEGFA gene rs833061 and rs2010963 polymorphisms did not affect SLE susceptibility in the Iranian population.