title: Association of IL-10 genotype with sudden infant death syndrome.
abstract: Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is a major cause of infant death of unknown etiology. We propose that SIDS results from a genetically determined imbalance in the production of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in response to the infant's microbial flora. We were especially interested to know the relationship between SIDS and genetically determined higher or lower production of IL-10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine. Biallelic polymorphisms in the promoter region of the IL-10 gene associated with higher or lower production of IL-10 were determined in a SIDS and in a control group using a sequence-specific oligonucleotide approach. One particular allele of the IL-10 gene, the IL-10-592*A allele, was significantly associated with SIDS. Indeed, 70% of the SIDS babies carried the IL-10-592*A allele (p = 0.007 compared with control). In addition, there was a significant reduction in the frequency of homozygosity for the allele IL-10-592*C (p = 0.001 compared with control). Carrying the A allele (either A/A or A/C) had an odds ratio of 3.3 (95% confidence interval 1.4-8.0). In the same patients there was no association with other IL-10 gene polymorphisms nor with other cytokine (TNF-alpha, TGF-beta 1) genotypes, emphasizing the particular relationship between SIDS and the IL-10-592*A allele.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Summers
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Summers
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Drucker
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Hajeer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barson
authors.forename: I V
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Hutchinson
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D005838:Genotype; D006239:Haplotypes / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007249:Inflammation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000276:immunology; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10