Introduction: PAX1 has been identified to be associated with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). However, data are unavailable for northern Chinese populations, and it is important to determine the exact clinical phenotypes of the associated genetic polymorphisms.
Methods: Five PAX1 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci were genotyped in 480 northern Chinese Han AIS patients and 841 controls. A stratified genotype-phenotype correlation analysis was conducted based on positive SNP loci and the Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) classification system. Luciferase assays were performed to determine the regulation of PAX1 transcriptional activity.
Results: The A allele of rs17861031 and the G allele of rs6137473 were significantly associated with AIS [p = 0.05 and 3.12 × 10-3, odds ratio (OR) = 0.78 and 1.30, respectively]. Moreover, rs17861031 may regulate the PAX1 gene. The A allele of rs17861031 was identified as a risk allele for PUMC type I AIS (p = 0.03), and the G allele of rs6137473 was identified as a risk allele for PUMC type II AIS (p = 1.90 × 10-3).
Conclusions: Both rs17861031 and rs6137473 were significantly associated with AIS and different PUMC classifications of AIS in a northern Chinese Han population.
Keywords: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS); Northern Han Chinese; PAX1; PUMC classification system; Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP).
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