title: Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist allele (IL1RN*2) associated with nephropathy in diabetes mellitus.
abstract: We have previously found association between an allele of the interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor antagonist gene (IL1RN) and several inflammatory diseases, where IL-1 has been implicated in the inflammatory mechanism. We have now, therefore, tested the association of this specific allele (IL1RN*2) with complications of diabetes which have an inflammatory tissue component. We have tested the allele frequency of IL1RN*2 in 128 patients with insulin-dependent and 125 with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). There was a significant association between carriage of IL1RN*2 and diabetic nephropathy (P<0.001, Pcorrected<0.0012). The association was significant in both types of diabetes, but the observed increase was highest in NIDDM, rising to double the control levels. It appears that IL1RN*2 is a novel genetic marker of severity of inflammatory complications of diseases rather than a marker of disease susceptibility. If the DNA polymorphism is associated with altered gene function, new therapeutic interventions may be possible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Blakemore
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Maskil
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Duff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1 / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1