Effects of receptor activator nuclear factor kB gene polymorphisms on the susceptibility to knee osteoarthritis A case-control study

Abstract

The present study aimed to explore genetic association of receptor activator nuclear factor kB (RANK) polymorphisms with individual susceptibility to knee osteoarthritis (OA) in different Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grades. This case-control study included 138 knee OA patients and 145 healthy individuals. RANK rs1805034 and rs8086340 polymorphisms were genotyped through polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). The effects of RANK polymorphisms on knee OA risk were analyzed via x2 test or Fisher exact test, and the results were expressed using odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The C allele of rs1805034 polymorphism had significantly higher frequency in knee OA patients than in controls (P=.044), indicating that this allele could increase the risk of knee OA (OR=1.424, 95% CI=1.010-2.008). Besides, the CC genotype and C allele of the rs1805034 polymorphism were significantly associated with elevated risk of knee OA in moderate grade (CC vs TT: P=.018, OR=3.071, 95% CI=1.187-7.941; C vs T: P=.012, OR=1.787, 95% CI=1.131-2.823). However, rs8086340 polymorphism had no significant association with knee OA risk The C allele of RANK rs1805034 polymorphism is closely correlated with increased risk of knee OA, especially for moderate grade. Abbreviations: BMI = body mass index, CI = confidence interval, HWE = Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, IRB = institutional review board, KL = Kellgren-Lawrence, MRI = magnetic resonance imaging, OA = osteoarthritis, OPG = osteoprotegerin, OR = odds ratio, RA = rheumatoid arthritis, RANK = receptor activator nuclear factor kB, RANKL = RANK-ligand, SNP = single nucleotide polymorphism.