No association of interleukin-6 gene polymorphism (-174 G/C) with myocardial infarction or traditional cardiovascular risk factors.
BACKGROUND
Recently, a polymorphism at position -174 (G>C) of the interleukin-6 (IL-6) promoter was found to be associated with an increased prevalence of myocardial infarction (MI). The aim of the present study was to further investigate the association of the IL-6 -174 G/C allele status with specific end organ damage, i.e. myocardial infarction in large population-based samples.


METHODS
Individuals from two Bavarian samples of MI patients (total n=1322) and the population-based Augsburg MONICA survey (1023 unselected controls) were studied by questionnaire, physical examination, echocardiographical assessment and biochemical analyses. The -174 G/C polymorphism was genotyped using a newly established PCR-RFLP. IL-6 levels were measured in a subset of 574 MI patients.


RESULTS
In the population-based sample, the IL-6 genotype was neither associated with traditional cardiovascular risk factors (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterol, body mass index, diabetes mellitus) nor with cardiac structural or functional parameters (left ventricular mass index, ejection fraction, diastolic inflow pattern). Moreover, the genotype distribution of the -174 G/C polymorphism was not different in MI patients (GG: 34.1%; GC: 47.4%; CC: 18.5%) and population-based controls (GG: 32.4%; GC: 48.8%; CC: 18.9%) (p=0.67). IL-6 levels were neither related to the -174 G/C polymorphism (p=0.29) nor to ACE-inhibitor treatment (2.16 with vs. 2.09 pg/ml without ACE-inhibitor, p=0.27). However, patients receiving statins displayed significantly lower IL-6 levels (1.83 vs. 2.32 pg/ml in the group without statins, p<0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
This extensive investigation failed to obtain evidence that the IL-6 -174 G/C promoter polymorphism affects traditional cardiovascular risk factors or the prevalence of myocardial infarction in a Caucasian sample.
Clinic and Policlinic for Internal Medicine II, University of Luebeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Lübeck, Germany.
Wolfgang
W
Lieb
Robert
R
Pavlik
Jeanette
J
Erdmann
Bjoern
B
Mayer
Stephan R
SR
Holmer
Marcus
M
Fischer
Andrea
A
Baessler
Christian
C
Hengstenberg
Hannelore
H
Loewel
Angela
A
Doering
Guenter A
GA
Riegger
Heribert
H
Schunkert
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D005858:Germany; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography
D015850:Interleukin-6