title: Cytokine gene polymorphism and heart transplant rejection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allograft rejection is mediated by cytokines. As polymorphism in cytokine genes can result in interindividual differences in cytokine production, we hypothesize that some patients may have an increased risk of rejection.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have related polymorphisms that influence cytokine production in the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-A and interleukin (IL)-10 genes to early graft rejection in 115 heart transplant recipients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Certain combinations of TNF-A and IL-10 gene polymorphisms are associated with rejection. Five of 19 patients who had high levels of rejection typed as high TNF-alpha/low IL-10 producers compared with 4 of 96 patients with lower levels of rejection (P<0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have identified a particular cytokine genotype that may confer susceptibility to increased levels of early rejection. Patients with a worse prognosis may be able to be identified pretransplant by DNA analysis of TNF-A, IL-10, and other gene polymorphisms.
authors.affiliation: Tissue Typing Laboratory, St. Mary's Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yonan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sheldon
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Dyer
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Sinnott
authors.forename: I V
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Hutchinson
mesh_terms: D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000235:genetics; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10