Characterization of polymorphisms in CFI and ARMS genes and their association with exudative age-related macular degeneration in Algerian patients.

Increasing evidence shows that polymorphisms in CFI and ARMS2 genes can influence exudative age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) risk. The aim of this study was to assess the role of CFI rs10033900 and ARMS2 rs3750846 polymorphisms in susceptibility to nAMD for the first time in the Algerian population. A total of one hundred twenty four controls and seventy two nAMD cases were included in the present study. Genomic DNA was extracted from venous blood leukocytes. CFI rs10033900 and ARMS2 rs3750846 variants were determined by using the real‑time polymerase chain reaction method. Differences in allele and genotype distribution between the cases and controls were tested with adjustment for age by logistic regression analysis. A stratification of case and control groups by age (<65 or ≥65) and by gender (male and female) was also performed. Statistical analyses were done using SPSS21.0. No statistically significant association was observed between CFI rs10033900 and ARMS2 rs3750846 polymorphisms and nAMD risk (p>0.05 for all comparisons). Stratification by age and gender did not show any significant association between these two polymorphisms and nAMD in a sample of the Algerian population. In our study, CFI rs10033900 and ARMS2 rs3750846 polymorphisms did not predispose alone to nAMD in our population. This study is a contribution to the enrichment of the bank data concerning the CFI and ARMS2 genes, reporting, for the first time, the allelic and genotypic frequencies of these genes polymorphisms characterizing the Algerian population.