Polymorphisms of interferon-gamma and interferon-gamma receptor 1 genes and pulmonary tuberculosis in Koreans.

Background and objective: Many genetic variations are thought to be risk factors for the development of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). The association of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and IFN-gamma receptor 1 (IFN-gamma R1) gene polymorphisms with pulmonary TB is controversial. This study examined the association between IFN-gamma and IFN-gamma R1 gene polymorphisms and pulmonary TB among Koreans. Methods: Eighty patients with culture-confirmed pulmonary TB and 80 controls were studied. Polymorphisms of the IFN-gamma gene at position +874 were determined using the amplification refractory mutation system PCR assay, and the IFN-gamma R1 gene was genotyped at positions -611, -270, -56 and +95 employing matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry using genomic DNA. Results: The genotype and allele frequencies of the IFN-gamma and IFN-gamma R1 gene polymorphisms did not differ significantly between the patients with pulmonary TB and controls. Conclusion: The IFN-gamma and IFN-gamma R1 gene polymorphisms do not appear to be responsible for host susceptibility to pulmonary TB in the Korean population.