Interleukin-6 genetic polymorphism and Chinese major depression.
BACKGROUND
It has been reported that serum concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6), a pro-inflammatory cytokine, were significantly higher in major depressive disorder (MDD).


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to examine whether the IL-6 genetic variant confers susceptibility to MDD.


METHODS
We genotyped a functional polymorphism in the promoter region (position -634) of the IL-6 gene in a sample of 257 MDD patients and 105 normal controls.


RESULTS
No significant differences were demonstrated for the genotype or allele frequency of the IL-6 polymorphism when comparing the MDD and control groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggested that the investigated IL-6 polymorphism does not affect MDD susceptibility. We propose that other genetic variations of IL-6, relating either to MDD or to the clinical manifestations of MDD, may need further investigation.
Hong
Chen-Jee
CJ
Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Yu
Younger W-Y
YW
Chen
Tai-Jui
TJ
Tsai
Shih-Jen
SJ
D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics
D015850:Interleukin-6