MUNC13-4 gene Polymorphisms in Macrophage Activation syndrome and Systemic Juveni

描述(申请人提供)：巨噬细胞激活综合征(MAS)是一种严重的，可能致命的全身青少年特发性关节炎的并发症。在临床实践中，迫切需要可靠的生物标志物来识别有这种并发症风险的患者。MAS是由主要涉及两种免疫细胞-巨噬细胞和T淋巴细胞的夸大炎症反应引起的。在临床相似的遗传条件下，过度的免疫反应的发展与细胞溶解细胞的功能缺陷有关。这些细胞通常杀死异常细胞，如肿瘤细胞或感染病毒的细胞。有一些证据表明，细胞溶解细胞也可能参与消除过度激活的免疫细胞。因此，如果它们功能不正常，免疫反应可能不会及时终止。这将导致在MAS中出现不受控制的炎症。此前，我们已经在Munc13-4基因中发现了几个遗传标记，这些标记是作为单个单倍型遗传的。由于Munc13-4蛋白与细胞溶解功能有关，因此这一观察结果很重要。一个重要的悬而未决的问题是，MUNC 13-4中单倍型的存在是否与Munc13-4蛋白的异常功能有关，从而直接导致患者MAS中细胞溶解功能障碍的发展。另一种可能性是，所描述的单倍型可能延伸到Munc13-4基因的上游或下游，并涉及邻近免疫相关基因的额外多态。这两种可能性将在拟议的研究中加以探讨。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is a serious, potentially fatal complication of Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. In clinical practice, there is a strong need for reliable biomarkers that would identify patients at risk for this complication. MAS is caused by the exaggerated inflammatory response involving mainly two types of immune cells - macrophages and T lymphocytes. In clinically similar genetic conditions the development of the exaggerated immune response has been linked to defective function of cytolytic cells. These cells typically kill abnormal cells such as tumor cells or cells infected with viruses. There is some evidence that cytolytic cells may also be involved in the elimination of overly activated immune cells. Therefore, if they do not function properly, the immune response may not be terminated in a timely manner. This would lead to uncontrolled inflammation seen in MAS. Previously, we have identified several genetic markers within the MUNC13-4 gene inherited as a single haplotype. Since MUNC13-4 protein is involved with the cytolytic function this observations is important. An important unanswered question is whether the presence of the haplotype in the MUNC 13-4 is associated with abnormal function of the MUNC13-4 protein and, thus, directly contributes to the development of cytolytic dysfunction seen in patients MAS. Another possibility is that the described haplotype may extend either upstream or downstream of the MUNC13-4 gene and involve additional polymorphisms in the neighboring immunologically relevant genes. These two possibilities will be explored in the proposed study.