A study on the Relationship Between Tumor Necrosis Factor α Gene Promoter Polymorphism and the Expressive Levels of TNF-α Protein

Obsjective To study relationship between tumor necrosis factor α gene (TNF-α) promoter polymorphism and the expressive levels of TNF-α protein.Methods The techniques of polymerase chain reaction- restrictive fraction length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and immunohistochemistry were used to observe the characteristics of the distribution of the polymorphism of TNF-α gene at position -308 in the promotor region and the relationship between the characteristics and the expressive levels of TNF-α protein in the lung tissues from 50 patients with COPD (COPD group) and 30 without COPD (control group).Results (1)The frequency of the TNF-α 2 allele in COPD group was higher compare with that of the control group (P0. 05).(2)The stronger positive expressive rate of TNF-α protein in the control group was significantly lower that in COPD group (P0.05).(3)A significant difference was found in the stronger positive expressive rate of TNF-α protein between the samples with TNF-α 1 and TNF-α 2 allele,displaying that the stronger positive expressive rate in the samples with TNF-α 1 allele(51.77%) was statistical lower compare with that in the samples with TNF-α 2 allele (78.95%) (P0. 05).Conclusions The subjects with TNF-α 2 allele may be susceptible to COPD because it is associated with higher transcriptional activity and with higher TNF-α production.