A polymorphism in the interleukin-1alpha gene influences the clinical features of migraine.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether a particular genotype of the interleukin-1alpha (IL1A) gene affects the clinical features of migraine.


BACKGROUND
Proinflammatory mediators have been reported to play a role in the pathophysiology of migraine. Recent studies suggest that polymorphisms in the interleukin-1 genes influence the age at onset and subsequent course of several chronic inflammatory diseases.


METHODS
In a group of 269 patients with migraine, we tested the association of the -889 C/T biallelic polymorphism of the IL1A gene with several clinical features of the disease.


RESULTS
Patients with migraine carrying the T/T genotype show an age at onset of the disease that is significantly (P <.01) lower than IL1A C/C or C/T carriers. In addition, the same genotype was significantly (P <.05) more frequent in patients with migraine with aura than in patients with migraine without aura.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of our study suggest a role for the IL1A gene in modifying the clinical features of migraine.
Rainero
Innocenzo
I
Neurology III, Headache Center, Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Italy.
Pinessi
Lorenzo
L
Salani
Giuliana
G
Valfrè
Walter
W
Rivoiro
Chiara
C
Savi
Lidia
L
Gentile
Salvatore
S
Giudice
Rossana Lo
RL
Grimaldi
Luigi M E
LM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D020325:Migraine with Aura / Q000235:genetics*; D020326:Migraine without Aura / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics
D007375:Interleukin-1