The C-174G promoter polymorphism of the interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene that affects insulin sensitivity in Caucasians is not involved in the pathogenesis of Taiwanese type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine which regulates the immune response, the acute-phase response, hematopoiesis and body energy balance. Genetic polymorphism at -174 position of IL-6 promoter has been recently reported to be linked with insulin resistance, however, with conflicting results. The C allele at IL-6 -174 position is associated with increased insulin sensitivity, and has a protective role for the development of type 2 diabetes, in a Spanish study. Whereas, according to a Finnish study, it is correlated with lower insulin sensitivity and may encourage the development of type 2 diabetes. Ethnic differences play certain roles in the distribution of IL-6 promoter polymorphisms because the distribution of the IL-6 -174 C allele is diverse among study subjects with different racial origins. Therefore, we examined IL-6 C-174G polymorphism in Taiwanese type 2 diabetic subjects to clarify the relationship of this polymorphism with Taiwanese type 2 diabetes mellitus in the context of the aforementioned mentioned contradictory results. All of our 101, type 2 diabetic patients and 112, non-diabetic, healthy individuals carried homologous G alleles. No C allele was found. Our study suggested that the C allele at the IL-6 -174 position was rare in Taiwanese people. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that IL-6 C-174G polymorphism is unlikely to play a role in the development of Taiwanese type 2 diabetes, regardless of its protective or promoting role.
Chang
Yih-Hsin
YH
School of Medical Technology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Huang
Chien-Ning
CN
Shiau
Ming-Yuh
MY
D000210:Acute-Phase Reaction / Q000503:physiopathology; D000483:Alleles; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity / Q000502:physiology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D017354:Point Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D013624:Taiwan; D044465:White People
D015850:Interleukin-6