Association of CTLA-4 gene A/G polymorphism in Japanese type 1 diabetic patients with younger age of onset and autoimmune thyroid disease.

Abstract

An association was detected between the CTLA-4 gene polymorphism and younger-onset type 1 diabetes with AITD. The G variant was suggested to be genetically linked to AITD-associated type 1 diabetes of younger onset in this apanese population. The defect in these patients presumably lies in a T-cell-mediated autoimmune mechanism.