Interleukin-10 gene polymorphism is associated with alcoholism but not with alcoholic liver disease.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the functional polymorphism -592C>A of the interleukin (IL)-10 gene (IL10) influences the development of alcoholic liver disease or alcoholism in alcoholic Spanish subjects.


METHODS
The -592C>A IL10 polymorphism was analyzed by the polymerase chain reaction and digestion with restriction enzymes in 257 male alcoholics [161 without alcoholic liver disease and 96 with alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC)] and 100 male healthy controls.


RESULTS
We found no association between the -592C>A IL10 polymorphism and ALC. Meta-analysis combining this result and data from previous studies failed also to show any significant association between this polymorphism and alcoholic liver disease. However, the frequency of allele A carriers (CA and AA genotypes) was significantly higher in alcoholic patients (defined as patients with abuse or dependence of alcohol) than in healthy controls.


CONCLUSIONS
The -592C>A IL10 polymorphism is not related to the risk of ALC. Nevertheless, our study shows that alcoholism is associated with an excess of allele A carriers in alcoholic patients.
Marcos
Miguel
M
Servicio de Medicina Interna II, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, Paseo de San Vicente 58-182, 37007 Salamanca, Spain. laso@usal.es
Pastor
Isabel
I
González-Sarmiento
Rogelio
R
Laso
Francisco Javier
FJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics*; D000483:Alleles; D001706:Biopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000235:genetics*; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D013030:Spain
D016753:Interleukin-10