Association of IL-17A and IL-17F Gene Polymorphisms with Acute Immune Thrombocytopenia in Egyptian Children

Background: IL-17 is an inflammatory cytokine that plays a crucial role in many autoimmune diseases. Aim: To investigate the association of IL-17A rs2275913 and IL-17F rs763780 gene polymorphisms with acute immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) in Egyptian children. Patients and methods: We examined 80 patients (male/female, 33/47; median age, 7 years old) diagnosed with acute ITP and 55 healthy controls (male/female, 28/27; median age, 7 years old). Genotyping was determined using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique. Results: In the acute ITP group compared to control, statistical analysis of the genotype frequencies (GG, AG, AA) of the IL-17A rs2275913 polymorphism and its alleles (A, G) showed no significant difference between the two groups (p > 0.05). Interestingly, the IL17A rs2275913 GG genotype was associated with early recovery (p = 0.04). As regard the genotype frequencies of the IL-17F rs763780 polymorphism, there was statistical significant difference in the TT and TC genotype frequencies between the case and control groups (p = 0.001 and p = 0.003, respectively). The number of IL-17F rs763780 T alleles was significantly higher in acute ITP patients as compared with children in the control group (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The present findings indicate that the IL-17 polymorphism IL-17F rs763780, but not IL-17A rs2275913 may be associated with a higher risk of acute ITP in Egyptian children.