Interleukin-17 Genes Polymorphisms are Significantly Associated with Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma Susceptibility

Tumour microenvironment has an important effect on the progression of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas. Using PCR with sequence-specific primers, this study analys-ed single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the interleu-kin-17 genes of 150 patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. GG homozygote rs8193036 A/G of inter-leukin-17A gene occurred less commonly in the cuta-neous T-cell lymphoma group; however, patients with this single-nucleotide polymorphism experience sig-nificantly intense pruritus. Conversely, the rs2397084 AG heterozygote of interleukin-17F is more common in the lymphoma population. In addition, there were significant differences in the frequencies of interleu-kin-17 genotypes when comparing early (Ia to IIa) and advanced stages (IIb, III and IV) of this neoplasms. A similar result has been shown in comparison between Sezary syndrome and mycosis fungoides. The current data may serve as a possible explanation for the in-creased bacterial infection rates in the course of cuta-neous T-cell lymphoma, especially caused by Staphylo-coccus aureus. In summary, specific single-nucleotide polymorphisms occur with different frequencies bet-ween cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and healthy pa-tients. Moreover, genetic predisposition of seve-ral interleukin-17 single-nucleotide polymorphisms may be a factor causing impaired immune defence in cutaneous lymphomas.

Automated summary

The tumour microenvironment plays a significant role in the progression of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas. Specific single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the interleu-kin-17 genes have different frequencies in lymphoma patients, which may contribute to impaired immune defence.