A classic T-cell phenotype in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the downregulation and replacement of the CD3ζ chain that alters T-cell receptor signaling. However, genetic associations with SLE in the human CD247 locus that encodes CD3ζ are not well established and require replication in independent cohorts. Our aim was therefore to examine, localize and validate CD247-SLE association in a large multiethnic population. We typed 44 contiguous CD247 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 8922 SLE patients and 8077 controls from four ethnically distinct populations. The strongest associations were found in the Asian population (11 SNPs in intron 1, 4.99 × 10-4-2), where we further identified a five-marker haplotype (rs12141731-rs2949655-rs16859085-rs12144621-rs858554; G-G-A-G-A; Phap = 2.12 × 10-5) that exceeded the most associated single SNP rs858554 (minor allele frequency in controls=13%; P=4.99 × 10-4, odds ratio=1.32) in significance. Imputation and subsequent association analysis showed evidence of association (P<0.05) at 27 additional SNPs within intron 1. Cross-ethnic meta-analysis, assuming an additive genetic model adjusted for population proportions, showed five SNPs with significant P-values (1.40 × 10-3-2), with one (rs704848) remaining significant after Bonferroni correction (Pmeta =2.66 × 10-2). Our study independently confirms and extends the association of SLE with CD247, which is shared by various autoimmune disorders and supports a common T-cell-mediated mechanism.
