Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex immune disease. The genetic variation in the NCF2 gene was found to associate with SLE in US and European populations. However, the association of rs10911363 with SLE was not extensively studied in Chinese mainland population. A total of 488 SLE patients and 380 controls were recruited. Unlabeled probe-based high-resolution melting analysis (HRMA) was used in genotyping. HRMA with unlabeled probe successfully distinguished all genotypes. Neither genotype nor allele frequencies of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs10911363 showed statistically significant differences between SLE patients and controls. The association of SNP rs10911363 with the diagnostic criteria of SLE was also examined. Minor allele (G) of rs10911363 was found to significantly associate with the incidence of arthritis (p = 0.024, odds ratio (OR) = 1.35, and 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.04-1.75) and increased abnormalities of antinuclear antibody (p = 0.002, OR = 1.51, and 95%CI = 1.17-1.95) and anti-DNA (p = 0.013, OR = 1.40, and 95%CI = 1.07-1.82). Polymorphisms of rs13277113 in NCF2 gene were associated with arthritis and autoantibody production, but not disease risk, of SLE in Chinese population.

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Allergic diseases affect more than 25% of the global population. Der p 2 is the major allergen of the house dust mite (HDM) <i>Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus</i>. Allergen-specific immunotherapy is the only treatment to change the course of allergic diseases. In this study, two synthesized Der p 2 peptides coupled to cross-reacting material 197 (CRM197) showed reduced IgE reactivity and allergenic activity. CRM197-coupled Der p 2 peptides induced rDer p 2-specific IgG1 antibodies in mice, which could inhibit HDM-allergic patients’ IgE binding to rDer p 2. The immunity effects of CRM197-coupled Der p 2 peptides were studied in an rDer p 2-induced asthma mouse model. CRM197-coupled Der p 2 peptides can suppress asthmatic airway inflammation in this model. Analysis of IL-4, IL-5, and IFN-γ levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid revealed that the suppression was associated with a shift from a Th2 to a Th1 response. Thus, CRM197-bound Der p 2 peptides exhibited less allergenic activity than the rDer p 2 allergen, which preserved immunogenicity and may be candidates for mite allergy vaccines.