title: Influence of interleukin 18 promoter polymorphisms in susceptibility to Kawasaki disease in Taiwan.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kai-Chung
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Hsueh
authors.forename: Ying-Ju
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Jeng-Sheng
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Yu-Hsin
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Chang-Hai
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Fuu-Jen
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D020382:Interleukin-18