B cell activating factor gene polymorphisms in patients with risk of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Introduction: B cell activating factor (BAFF) is a ligand belonging to the tumor necrosis factor family and has an important role in B cells development, survival, and immunoglobulin-production. This study was aimed to study the association between haplotypes in the 5' regulatory region of the BAFF gene and susceptibility to idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).

Methods: BAFF gene polymorphisms expression at positions (-871C>T, -2701 T>A and -2841T>C) of 5' regulatory region were determined with polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism technique in 40 chronic (ITP) patients and in 50 age- and sex-matched normal volunteers as a control group.