Graves' Disease and Its Related Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Genes

Graves’ Disease (GD), an autoimmune health condition caused by the over reactiveness of the thyroid, affects about 1 in 200 people worldwide. Preceding studies suggest that GD is not caused by one specific single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) or gene mutations, but rather determined by multiple factors, each differing from each other. Most commonly studied genes are the HLA classes, which tend to play a major role in autoimmune diseases, but other genes, such as LOC101929163, have functions that still remain ambiguous. Multiple studies have been conducted with multiple genes, but most studies have yielded inconclusive results. This study serves not only to introduce background knowledge about GD, but also to organize and pinpoint the major SNPs and genes that are potentially related to the occurrence of GD in humans. Collected from multiple sources from GWAS Central, the potential SNPs related to the causes of GD are listed in the table below. This study has located the genes that are related to those SNPs and closely examines a selected sample. Using the data from this study, scientists will then be able to focus on the most expressed genes in GD patients and develop a treatment for GD.