RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have shown NOD2/CARD15 gene is the first susceptibility gene to Crohn's disease (CD), three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the gene have been identified to be associated with CD in the Caucasians, but not in the Japanese. Here we have evaluated the NOD2/CARD gene polymorphisms in Chinese patients to determine whether the gene is associated with susceptibility to CD in Chinese Han population. METHODS: Blood samples were obtained from 32 patients with CD, 110 patients with ulcerative colitis, and 292 healthy controls in Zhejiang location. Genotyping for 3 common NOD2/CARD15 (Arg702Trp, Gly908Arg, Leu1007fsinsC) polymorphisms was carried out using polymerase chain sequence with specific primer. RESULTS: None of the patients with CD had heterozygous or homozygous SNPs variants. Similarly none of the ulcerative colitis or health controls. CONCLUSION: The common variants in NOD2/CARD15 found in Caucasians with CD are not associated with CD in the Chinese Han population.