Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism in children with urinary tract infection

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is among common infectious diseases in children. During acute infection inflammatory response to the pathogenic bacteria, one of the important part of host defense, paradoxically can cause tissue fibrosis and finally become harmful to host. It is known that vitamin D has a lot of action including immune system modulation and there is a relation between vitamin D deficiency and infectious diseases. Vitamin D performs its potent immunomodulator effects through VDR. It is known that small alterations leading to some VDR alleles effect resistance or susceptibility to infections. In this study it is aimed to examine VDR gene polymorphisms in UTI, which is common and cause of important morbidty in children, and in renal scar formation due to this.92 patients diagnosed as UTI and 105 children without history of UTI before as a control group were evaluated. The VDR gene BsmI, FokI, ApaI ve TaqI polymorphisms were evaluated in both patients and control groups. In urine samples of 24 patients VDR expression was studied.BsmI polimorphism genotype distribution was similar between patient and control groups. There was a significant difference between patient and control groups in FokI polimorphism (p=0,00). In ff genotype risk of UTI was significantly increased (p=0,00) and the risk was 3,94 times higher (OR=3,94; %95 CI 1,71-9,09). ApaI polimorphism was significantly increased in control group (p=0,00) and evaluated as a protective factor. In comparison of TaqI genotype between patient and control groups there was no statistically significant difference but in both Tt and tt genotypes there was minimal increased risk of UTI. There was no significant association between VDR polymorphism genotype frequencies and urine VDR expressions in patients.Results of this study suggest that VDR gene polymorphism can be important for susceptibility to UTI and renal scar formation. Associations between VDR polymorphisms and UTI is in accordance with the knowledge of vitamin D modulates immune response against infections. Before designing these results firmly, it is thought to confirm these results in a larger sample will be appropriate.