Association of the rs7574865 polymorphism in the signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 gene with rheumatoid arthritis in Moroccan patients

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OBJECTIVES: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a complex autoimmune disease with a strong genetic component. The STAT4 rs7574865 (G>T) variant has been associated with RA in various populations, but data from North Africa remain limited. This study aimed to investigate the association of rs7574865 with RA susceptibility in Moroccan patients. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted including 87 Moroccan patients with severe RA and 69 healthy controls. Genotyping of rs7574865 was performed using TaqMan assays. Serum levels of anti-CCP2 and IgM-RF were measured by ELISA. Associations between genotypes, alleles, demographic, clinical, and serological features were analysed. RESULTS: The GT genotype was more frequent in patients than in controls, and the T allele showed higher prevalence in the RA group. A significant genotypic association with RA risk was observed, while the TT genotype was absent in both groups. No associations were detected with demographic or general clinical characteristics. However, a significant clinical association was observed with anti-CCP2 status. The GT genotype also showed a noticeable trend in RF-positive and anti-CCP2-negative patients compared with controls, though differences between serological subgroups within patients were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide the first evidence from Morocco that the STAT4 rs7574865 variant may contribute to RA susceptibility. While its effect appears moderate, the study highlights the importance of including North African populations in genetic studies of RA.

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