[On the association of tumor necrosis factor-alpha gene polymorphisms with the susceptibility to silicosis].

Objective: To find out whether -308 and -238 locus (G --> A) mutation within the tumor necrosis factor-alpha gene (TNF-alpha) promoter region are associated with susceptibility to silicosis in the Han population of southwest China.

Methods: Governed by the principles of voluntatiness and cooperation, 75 patients with silicosis and 137 control with silica-exposure but without silicosis were recruited, and additionally, 140 elderly patients with silicosis and 135 healthy elderly (retired) controls were recruited in this case-control study. 5 ml peripheral vein blood was drawn from each subject. By means of polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphisms (PCR-RFLP) and sequencing techniques, TNF-alpha gene polymorphisms of all subjects were analyzed.

Results: The frequencies of TNF-alpha -308A and -238A in the 75 patients with silicosis were higher than those in the 137 controls (P < 0.01). After being adjusted for confounding factors, the -308A and the -238A were still associated with the presence of silicosis (P < 0.01). But the frequency of TNF-alpha -308A in the 140 elderly patients was significantly lower than that in the controls (P < 0.001).

Conclusions: TNF-alpha gene -308 and -238 locus (G --> A) mutation might be related to the occurrence of silicosis and the severity of pulmonary fibrosis in silicosis among the Han population of southwest China, and TNF2 (-308A) allele might increase the risk of the disease.