Extended report
Polymorphic CAG repeats of the androgen receptor gene and
rheumatoid arthritis
Taku Kawasakia, Toshio Ushiyamaa, Hisao Ueyamab, Koji Inouea, Kanji Moria, Iwao Ohkubob, Sinsuke Hukudaa
a Department of
Orthopaedic Surgery, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta, Otsu,
520-2192, Japan, b Department of
Medical Biochemistry, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta, Otsu,
Japan
Correspondence to: Dr T Kawasaki.
Accepted for publication 12 April 1999
OBJECTIVE
In view of
the possible role of androgens in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid
arthritis (RA), this study investigated the association between repeat
lengths of CAG microsatellites of the androgen receptor (AR) gene and RA.
METHODSThe number of
CAG repeats in exon 1 of the AR gene was determined in 90 men and 276 women with RA, as well as in 305 male and 332 female controls.
RESULTSThe male RA
patients tended to have shorter repeats than the male controls (22.5 versus 23.1, p=0.07), whereas the female RA patients had similar
repeats to the female controls (22.7 versus 22.9, p=0.17). Patients of
both sexes were divided into younger and older age at onset groups, and
compared with younger and older controls. Younger onset male RA
patients had significantly shorter CAG repeat lengths than the younger
male controls (21.8 versus 23.2, p=0.007) or the older onset male RA
patients (21.8 versus 23.2, p=0.04). Older onset male RA and both
younger and older onset female RA patients had similar CAG repeat
lengths when compared with their controls. Neither seropositivity nor
rheumatoid nodule positivity had a significant relation with CAG repeat lengths.
CONCLUSIONShorter CAG
repeats of the AR gene, presenting high levels of transactivation
activity, are related to younger age onset male RA, suggesting the
possible role of androgens as a modulating factor.
© 1999 by Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
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