title: The interleukin-6 G(-174)C promoter polymorphism does not determine plasma interleukin-6 concentrations in experimental endotoxemia in humans.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine that plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of acute and chronic infections. As the role of the IL-6 G(-174)C polymorphism in determining serum concentrations of IL-6 is controversial, we studied the genotype-specific IL-6 response in a well-standardized model of systemic inflammation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 76 healthy young males (age range, 19-35 years) received a single bolus of 2 ng/kg endotoxin [lipopolysaccharide (LPS)] intravenously. Plasma IL-6 was measured by enzyme immunoassay at 0, 2, 6, and 24 h after LPS infusion, and the IL-6 promoter genotype was analyzed by a mutagenic separated PCR assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IL-6 increased 300-fold 2 h after LPS challenge and returned almost to normal within 24 h. Neither basal IL-6 nor the IL-6 response to LPS was significantly affected by the IL-6 promoter genotype.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The IL-6 G(-174)C promoter polymorphism does not significantly influence basal concentrations of IL-6 or peak IL-6 in human endotoxemia.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Clinical Pharmacology and Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Vienna University, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Endler
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marsik
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Joukhadar
authors.forename: Rodrig
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marculescu
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mayr
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mannhalter
authors.forename: Oswald F
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jilma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019446:Endotoxemia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D005998:Glycine / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008297:Male; D010949:Plasma; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D005998:Glycine