HLA-DRB1 gene mutation linked to higher risk of severe sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis patients who are male or carry a genetic variation called HLA-DRB1*07 are more likely to have lymphopenia — low levels of white blood cells called lymphocytes — a known risk factor for more severe disease. That is according to a study, “Peripheral blood lymphopenia in sarcoidosis…

Variants in Osteopontin Gene Linked to Specific Sarcoidosis Features

While the protein osteopontin is elevated in the blood of people with sarcoidosis, the increased levels are not determined by known genetic factors, according to a recent study. Nevertheless, several DNA variants in the osteopontin gene were linked to specific disease characteristics, such as lung tissue involvement, fever, or significant weight…