Tumor necrosis factor-alpha -863C/A polymorphism is associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome in Bangladesh

•The TNFA -863C/A polymorphism is associated with GBS disease susceptibility.•The TNFA -238AA genotype predominates in anti-GM1 antibody-positive patients.•The TNFA -863C/A polymorphism is associated with the severe form of GBS.•The TNFA -863C/A polymorphism is associated with the AMAN subtype of GBS.•No associations between TNFA -308G/A or -857C/T and GBS, subtype or severity.

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a post-infectious autoimmune polyneuropathy regulated by pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines; TNFA polymorphisms may exert immune pathogenic roles in GBS. We assessed TNFA promoter region polymorphisms (-238G/A, -308G/A, -857C/T, -863C/A) in Bangladeshi patients with GBS (n = 300) and healthy controls (n = 300) by PCR-RFLP and ASO-PCR. TNFA -863CA was significantly associated with GBS disease susceptibility (P = 0.0154) and disease severity (P = 0.0492). TNFA -238A allele was more frequent among anti-ganglioside (GM1) antibody-positive patients (P = 0.0092) and -863AA associated with AMAN subtype of GBS (P = 0.0398). TNFA -863C/A may contribute to GBS severity and pathogenesis in Bangladeshi patients.

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