Influence of interleukin 18 promoter polymorphisms in susceptibility to Kawasaki disease in Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
Proinflammatory cytokines such as interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) play an important role in the pathogenesis of Kawasaki disease (KD). Interleukin 18 (IL-18) plays a pivotal role in the T helper 1 (Th1)-type response, principally owing to its ability to induce IFN-gamma production. We assessed potential associations between functional IL-18 gene promoter polymorphisms and susceptibility to KD, in addition to clinical features of KD in individuals from Taiwan.


METHODS
One hundred forty-six patients with KD and 136 ethnically matched controls from the same geographic area were genotyped for IL-18 -656T/G, -607A/C, and -137C/G promoter polymorphisms.


RESULTS
No significant differences in allele and genotype frequencies were found between KD patients and controls for any of the IL-18 polymorphisms investigated. When we compared the overall distribution of haplotype frequencies between KD patients and controls, a significant difference was observed (p <0.0001). In addition, the frequency of the GCG haplotype was significantly higher (p = 0.00001, pc = 0.00004; OR 20.8, 95% CI 3.05-142.3), whereas the frequency of the TAG haplotype was significantly lower in KD patients compared with controls (p = 0.0001, pc = 0.0004; OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.19-0.61). No significant associations were found for comparisons of KD patients to those with and without coronary artery lesions.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest a potential implication of IL-18 promoter polymorphisms in susceptibility to KD in Taiwan.
Hsueh
Kai-Chung
KC
Department of Pediatrics and Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
Lin
Ying-Ju
YJ
Chang
Jeng-Sheng
JS
Wan
Lei
L
Tsai
Yu-Hsin
YH
Tsai
Chang-Hai
CH
Tsai
Fuu-Jen
FJ
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D009080:Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D013624:Taiwan
D020382:Interleukin-18