The VDR and TNF-α gene polymorphisms in Iranian tuberculosis patients: The study on host susceptibility

Vitamin–D receptor (VDR) and tumor necrosis factor–alpha (TNF-α) genes are thought to be important in the intracellular killing of mycobacteria. This study aimed to determine the association of VDR and TNF-α variant with development of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) among Iranian patients.Patients and Selected regions of VDR and TNF-α were amplified, and then the PCR products were digested using restriction enzyme (RFLP). Digested products were run on 8% polyacrylamide gel, and were stained with silver–nitrate. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at restriction sites of BsmI, and FokI of VDR gene and SNPs of TNF-α at -238,-308, -244,-857,-863 positions were analyzed by PCR-RFLP among 117 PTB cases and 60 healthy controls. No statistically significant difference was observed in allele frequencies of FokI of VDR and TNF-α at -238,-244,-863 and –857 position. Although, the frequency of b allele of BsmI (p=0.001) and -308 A variant in TNF-α promoter region (p=0.006) were significantly more in PTB patients than healthy controls. The frequency of extended diplotypes were different in patients and control subjects (p