Human FcgammaRIIB gene polymorphisms for assessing development of systemic lupus erythematosus and compositions for use thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides methods for predicting the likelihood of development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in an individual, which comprise determining the sequence at one or more polymorphic positions within the human genes encoding FcγRIIB. The invention also provides isolated nucleic acids encoding FcγRIIB polymorphisms, nucleic acid probes that hybridize to polymorphic positions and kits for the prediction of SLE status.

1 . An isolated nucleic acid derived from the gene encoding human FcγRIIB, wherein the nucleic acid comprises polymorphic position −385 in the promoter region.  
     
     
         2 . A nucleic acid as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the sequence at the polymorphic position in the promoter region is −385C.  
     
     
         3 . An isolated nucleic acid which hybridizes under stringent conditions to a nucleic acid as defined in  claim 2 .  
     
     
         4 . An isolated nucleic acid derived from the gene encoding human FcγRIIB, wherein the nucleic acid comprises polymorphic position −119 in the promoter region.  
     
     
         5 . A nucleic acid as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the sequence at the polymorphic position in the promoter region is −119A.  
     
     
         6 . An isolated nucleic acid which hybridizes under stringent conditions to a nucleic acid as defined in  claim 5 .  
     
     
         7 . An isolated nucleic acid derived from the gene encoding human FcγRIIB, wherein the nucleic acid comprises polymorphic positions −385 and −119 in the promoter region.  
     
     
         8 . A nucleic acid as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the sequences at the polymorphic position in the promoter region are −385C and −119A.  
     
     
         9 . An isolated nucleic acid which hybridizes under stringent conditions to a nucleic acid as defined in  claim 8 .  
     
     
         10 . A kit for assessing the susceptibility of an individual to developing systemic lupus erythematosus comprising sequence determination primers and sequence determination reagents wherein said primers hybridize to the polymorphic positions in the human FcγRIIB gene, wherein the polymorphic positions are −385 and −119 in the promoter region.  
     
     
         11 . A kit for assessing the susceptibility of an individual to developing systemic lupus erythematosus comprising sequence determination primers and sequence determination reagents wherein said primers hybridize to a polymorphic position in the human FcγRIIB gene, wherein the polymorphic positions is −385 in the promoter region.  
     
     
         12 . A kit for assessing the susceptibility of an individual to developing systemic lupus erythematosus comprising sequence determination primers and sequence determination reagents wherein said primers hybridize to a polymorphic position in the human FcγRIIB gene, wherein the polymorphic position is −119 in the promoter region.