title: Association of interleukin 1beta and receptor antagonist gene polymorphisms with primary open-angle glaucoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Genetic factors are known to play a role in the etiology of glaucoma. More specifically, the role of the immune system is highly suspected. We evaluated the association between 2 polymorphisms in the interleukin (IL) 1beta gene (IL-1 promoter 511, IL-1 exon 5) and 1 polymorphism in the IL-1 gene receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) intron 2 with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-eight POAG patients and 105 healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study. Analysis based on polymerase chain reaction was used to resolve the 2 IL-1beta polymorphisms and the IL-1Ra intron 2 polymorphism.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant differences in the distribution of the IL-1beta exon 5 polymorphism between the POAG patients and the control subjects (p < 0.05). The E2 allele of IL-1beta exon 5 was more frequently found in POAG patients than in healthy patients (odds ratio: 4.224, 95% confidence interval = 1.135-15.717). The distributions of the other 2 polymorphisms, IL-1beta promoter 511 and IL-1Ra intron 2, were not significantly different between the POAG patients and the healthy control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The frequency of the E2 allele of the IL-1beta exon 5 polymorphism was high in POAG patients. Therefore the E2 allele can be used as a marker to predict or search for the genetic causes of glaucoma in Chinese POAG patients. Furthermore, we have concluded that the other 2 polymorphisms (IL-1 promoter 511 and IL-1Ra) are not helpful in predicting Chinese POAG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, China Medical College Hospital, Taichung Healthcare and Management University, Taichung 404, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Hui-Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: San-Chang
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Fuu-Jen
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Wen-Chi
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jeffery J P
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Cheng-Der
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Hsu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; C507763:IL1RN protein, human; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein; D007375:Interleukin-1; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins