title: Role of interleukin 4 in Spanish multiple sclerosis patients.
abstract: Interleukin 4 is a Th2 cytokine with potent anti-inflammatory properties. Protection from autoimmune encephalomyelitis and multiple sclerosis has been achieved with IL-4 therapy and IL-4 deficient mice developed a more severe form of clinical disease. Four polymorphisms within the IL-4 gene are in strong linkage disequilibrium, including one in the promoter at -590, which controls transcriptional activity. An MS protective role for the heterozygous genotype was confirmed in Spain (exon-1+33 C/T: p=0.003, OR [CI]=0.57 [0.38-0.84]), probably indicative of an MS protection haplotype at 5q31 locus. No difference among MS clinical forms or age at onset was detected.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Department, Hospital Universitario San Carlos, Martin Lagos s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain. eurcelay@hcsc.es
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Urcelay
authors.forename: Jose Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Santiago
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mas
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: de Las Heras
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arroyo
authors.forename: Emilio G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: de la Concha
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000235:genetics*; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D015847:Interleukin-4