Tumor Necrosis Factor Gene Polymorphisms in Advanced Non-exudative Age-related Macular Degeneration

Purpose: To investigate tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‑α gene polymorphisms in advanced dry‑type age‑related macular degeneration (AMD) in a population from Northeastern Iran. Methods: In this case‑control study, 50 patients with geographic macular atrophy and 73 gender‑matched controls were enrolled. Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted from the peripheral blood. Polymerase chain reaction was performed to analyze 2 candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms in the TNF‑α gene, namely −1031 thymine (T)/cytosine (C) and −308 guanine (G)/adenine (A). Results: The distribution of the ‑ 1031 T/C genotype was TT, 62%; TC, 36%; CC, 2% in the patients and TT, 60%; TC, 36%; CC, 4% in the controls (P = 0.94). Genotype analysis of TNF‑α −308 also revealed no significant difference in distribution between patients (G, 78%; GA, 22%; AA, 0%) and controls (GG, 74%; GA, 23%; AA, 3%) (P = 0.51). None of the haplotypes nor alleles of studied TNF‑α polymorphisms were significantly associated with advanced dry‑type AMD. Conclusion: The findings of this study show that polymorphisms in the TNF‑α gene, do not play an important role in dry‑type AMD in the studied population.