Analysis of tumor necrosis factor-α gene promoter polymorphisms in anorexia nervosa

Elevated plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha.) levels and enhanced spontaneous TNF alpha release from peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) have been reported. TNF alpha activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and reduces food intake, which is characteristic of eating disorders. Recently, three novel polymorphisms in the 5'-flanking region of the TNF alpha gene were reported at positions -1031(T --> C substitution), -863 (C --> A) and -857 (C --> T). Differences in these alleles are reportedly related to altered TNF alpha -transcriptional promoter activity. Therefore, we performed a case-control association analysis to determine whether any of those three polymorphisms in the TNF alpha. promoter region were involved in a predisposition to AN. The results of our analysis of a cohort of 79 female Japanese AN sufferers and 127 normal female control subjects provide no support for the hypothesis that -1031T/C, -863 C/A and -857C/T polymorphisms in the TNF alpha gene promoter region influence the susceptibility to AN. Psychiatr Genet 11:161-164 (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.