The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics 2008 , Vol 50 , Num 3
Tumor necrosis factor alpha -308 gene polymorphism in patients with anorexia nervosa
1 Sections of Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
2 Sections of Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
3 Department of Pediatrics, and Unit of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, İstanbul University, İstanbul Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey
Kanbur N, Mesci L, Derman O, Turul T, Çuhadaroğlu F, Kutluk T, Tezcan İ. Tumor necrosis factor alpha -308 gene polymorphism in patients with anorexia nervosa. Turk J Pediatr 2008; 50: 219-222.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is a principal cytokine that may induce weight loss. TNF-α -308 G to A polymorphism increases transcription of TNF-α in vitro. The aim of this study was to investigate whether TNF-α gene promoter polymorphism at position -308 (G to A substitution) is one of the factors playing a role in the development of anorexia nervosa (AN). Sixteen patients with AN, aged 11-20 years, were included in this study, and 5/16 (31%) patients had TNF-α –308 G/A genotype. In the control group, 12/174 (7%) had -308 G/A genotype. There was a significant statistical difference between the patient and control groups (p=0.007). The minimum body mass index (BMI) values ever recorded for each patient during the course of the disease were significantly higher in the five patients with TNF-α -308 G to A polymorphism (p= 0.003). TNF-α gene promoter polymorphism at position –308 might be associated with a predisposition to AN and initiate the disease. The protective mechanisms that affect clinical manifestation of the disease may be related with other anti-inflammatory cytokines or immunologic mechanisms. Keywords : anorexia nervosa, tumor necrosis factor-α, promoter polymorphism

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