Modulation of type 1 diabetes susceptibility by tumor necrosis factor alpha -308 G/A and lymphotoxin alpha +249 A/G haplotypes and lack of linkage disequilibrium with predisposing DQB1-DRB1 haplotypes in Bahraini patients

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) -308 G/A and lymphotoxin alpha (LTalpha) +249 A/G single-nucleotide polymorphisms were investigated in 228 type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients and 240 controls. Only LTalpha +249G allele and +249G/+249G genotype frequencies were higher among patients, and no linkage disequilibrium was found between TNF-alpha/LTalpha alleles and susceptible/protective DRB1-DQB1 haplotypes. TNF-alpha/LTalpha T1DM-susceptible (-308G/+249G) and protective (-308G/+249A) haplotypes were identified.