Cytokine gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Abstract

An association between JIA and a previously unreported 3'UTR polymorphism of IRF-1 was observed. This association was not found to be specific to any particular JIA subgroup. This suggests that IRF-1 may contribute to a common pathogenesis shared by all JIA patients, regardless of clinical phenotype. This is most likely to be a genetic contribution to the chronic inflammatory process that underlies JIA pathology.