Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, OMIM 152700) is a complex autoimmune disease that affects 0.05% of the Western population, predominantly women. A number of susceptibility loci for SLE have been suggested in different populations, but the nature of the susceptibility genes and mutations is yet to be identified. We previously reported a susceptibility locus (SLEB2) for Nordic multi-case families. Within this locus, the programmed cell death 1 gene (PDCD1, also called PD-1) was considered the strongest candidate for association with the disease. Here, we analyzed 2,510 individuals, including members of five independent sets of families as well as unrelated individuals affected with SLE, for single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that we identified in PDCD1. We show that one intronic SNP in PDCD1 is associated with development of SLE in Europeans (found in 12% of affected individuals versus 5% of controls; P = 0.00001, r.r. (relative risk) = 2.6) and Mexicans (found in 7% of affected individuals versus 2% of controls; P = 0.0009, r.r. = 3.5). The associated allele of this SNP alters a binding site for the runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1, also called AML1) located in an intronic enhancer, suggesting a mechanism through which it can contribute to the development of SLE in humans.

Objective. To study the frequency of allele A of polymorphism PD-1.3 of the PDCD1 gene in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its subsets, based on the presence of rheumatoid factor (RF) and the shared epitope (SE) alleles.Methods. A total of 1,175 patients with RA and 3,404 controls were genotyped for the PD-1.3 A/G polymorphism, which previously was identified as being involved in susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in patients of European descent.Results. We first detected a trend for association of allele A of the single-nucleotide polymorphism PD-1. Conclusion. Patients negative for both RF and the SE alleles showed association with the same allele that we previously identified as being involved in susceptibility to SLE. These results provide the first evidence of the involvement of the human PDCD1 gene in arthritis.

No abstract

Finding the genetic causes for complex diseases is a challenge. Expression studies have shown that the level of expression of many genes is altered in disease compared with normal conditions, but what lies behind these changes? Linkage studies provide hints as to where in the genome the genetic triggers--the mutations--might be located. Fine-mapping and association studies can give yet more information about which genes, and which changes in the genes, are involved in the disease. Recent examples show that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which are variations at the single-nucleotide level within an individual's DNA, in the regulatory regions of some genes constitute susceptibility factors in many complex diseases. This article discusses the nature of regulatory SNPs (rSNPs) and techniques for their functional validation, and looks towards what rSNPs can tell us about complex diseases.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic rheumatic disease with an autoimmune etiology. Nuclear components of the cells are the main targets of the autoimmune reaction, affecting virtually any organ in the body. SLE is also called a prototype disease due to a substantial overlap in its clinical symptoms with other autoimmune diseases. Therefore the understanding of the mechanisms underlying SLE may contribute to advances in studies and development of new treatments for several autoimmune diseases. SLE is a complex disease with both genetic factors (mutations or susceptibility alleles) and environmental factors (infections, drugs, stress, exposures, etc.) contributing to its development. In this article we will give an overview of the latest findings in genetics of SLE, concentrating on the two most interesting and promising pathways: the PD-1 and the interferon pathways.