Deletion of LCE3C and LCE3B genes is associated with psoriasis in a northern Chinese population

Background It has been shown that a deletion in the late cornified envelope (LCE) gene cluster (LCE3C_LCE3B-del) is associated with susceptibility to psoriasis in European populations. However, the relationship remains unclear in a northern Chinese population. Objectives The aim of the present study was to clarify this association in this population. Methods In total, 970 patients with psoriasis and 1064 healthy controls were recruited and a polymerase chain reaction assay was used to determine the frequency of this deletion. The effect of this deletion on susceptibility to psoriasis was assessed using SPSS software and the PLINK software package. Results The frequency of the LCE3C_LCE3B-del differed significantly between patients and healthy controls. In subgroup analysis, the distribution was significantly different between patients with a positive family history of psoriasis and controls, as well as between patients with early-onset psoriasis and controls. Conclusions The findings indicate that the LCE3C_LCE3B-del is an important risk factor in the pathogenesis of psoriasis and that the LCE3C_LCE3B-del does not show an epistatic effect with the HLA-Cw6 allele on susceptibility to psoriasis in the northern Chinese population.