Association of scleroderma with a t cell antigen receptor γ gene restriction fragment length polymorphism

Restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) in the T cell receptor (TCR) α, β, and γ genes were analyzed in 61 scleroderma patients and 150 controls. An association was found between scleroderma and an 11.3‐kb Pvu II fragment in the TCR γ gene; this gene was found in 41.0% of the patients, compared with 21.7% of the controls (P < 0.01, odds ratio = 2.50). There were no associations between scleroderma and the tested RFLPs in the TCR α or β genes, and no RFLPs were found in the constant region of the TCR δ gene.