title: Interleukin 1B gene polymorphism is associated with baseline C-reactive protein levels in healthy individuals.
abstract: C-reactive protein (CRP) is a sensitive marker of inflammation induced by both IL-6 and IL-1. Thus, genetic variation in these genes could be associated with the variety in C-reactive protein levels, and therefore with the severity of the entire inflammatory response. Even a subtle elevation in baseline CRP levels in healthy individuals has been found to significantly increase the risk for cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, to find out the possible role of pro-inflammatory cytokines in CRP baseline regulation we conducted a study of 338 healthy blood donors whose CRP levels were determined and whose single nucleotide polymorphisms of IL1A(C/T)-889, IL1B(C/T)-511, IL1B(C/T) + 3954, IL6(G/C)-174 and ILRN (a VNTR) both genotyped and haplotyped. The data revealed an association between CRP levels and the IL1B + 3954 genotype. Also, the bilocus haplotype IL1B-511*1/IL1B + 3954*2 was more frequent in subjects with below median CRP levels (< 0.72 mg/l), and composite genotype analysis of IL1B-511/IL1B + 3954 supported this finding. Our findings suggest that in healthy people, basal CRP levels are regulated by IL1B but not by IL6 genetics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Tampere Medical School, Tampere, Finland. carita.eklund@uta.fi
authors.forename: Carita
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eklund
authors.forename: Farhana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jahan
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pessi
authors.forename: Terho
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lehtimäki
authors.forename: Mikko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hurme
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D017931:DNA Primers; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D007375:Interleukin-1; D002097:C-Reactive Protein