title: Association of G-174C polymorphism of the interleukin-6 gene promoter with Graves' ophthalmopathy.
abstract: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) may play an important role in the pathogenesis of Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO). The aim of this study was to analyze the association of IL-6 gene promoter polymorphism, at position - 174 (G --> C, termed as G-174C), which may affect IL-6 production, with the development of GO. The G-174C polymorphism was determined in 279 Polish-Caucasian patients with Graves' disease (GD), of which 108 had clinically evident ophthalmopathy (NOSPECS class III or higher) and 186 healthy Polish adults. In patients with GD, the frequencies of the C allele (45 vs 42%; P = 0.35) and C/C genotype (20 vs 15%; P = 0.13) were not significantly different compared to controls. Subdividing patients with GD for the presence of eye disease revealed that the C allele (44 vs 45%; P = 0.76) and C/C genotype (20 vs 20%; P = 0.92) were equally distributed in patients with or without ophthalmopathy. There was also no association between the G-174C polymorphism and the severity of eye changes. Finally, IL-6 genotypes were not associated with laboratory findings (thyroid volume, serum IL-6 and thyroid autoantibodies levels) in patients with GD at diagnosis. Our results suggest that G-174C polymorphism of the IL-6 gene does not contribute to the development and severity of GO.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Medical Research Center, Polish Academy of Science, Banacha 1A, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland. bednar@amwaw.edu.pl
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bednarczuk
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuryłowicz
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hiromatsu
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kiljańskic
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Telichowska
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nauman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6