title: Interleukin 6-174 G/C promoter and variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) gene polymorphisms in sporadic Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies examining the association between the interleukin 6 (IL-6)-174 C/G polymorphism and Alzheimer's disease (AD) have yielded conflicting results. Furthermore, the C allele of the IL-6 variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism was associated with a delayed onset and a decreased risk of AD.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total sample of 149 AD patients, and 298 age- and sex-matched unrelated caregivers from Apulia, southern Italy, were genotyped for the apolipoprotein E (APOE) polymorphism, the VNTR polymorphism in the 3' flanking region, and the -174G/C single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the promoter region of IL-6 gene on chromosome 7. Furthermore, we performed a haplotype analysis on these two polymorphisms on IL-6 locus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IL-6 VNTR and -174G/C allele and genotype frequencies were similar between AD patients and controls, also after stratification for late-onset (> or =65 years) and early-onset (<65 years) or APOE epsilon4 status. Furthermore, there was no evidence of linkage disequilibrium between the VNTR and -174G/C polymorphisms, not supporting a previous reported additive effect of both IL-6 polymorphisms on AD risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings did not support a role of IL-6-174 G/C and IL-6 VNTR polymorphisms in the risk of sporadic AD in southern Italy, suggesting that these polymorphisms of IL-6 gene were at most weak genetic determinants of AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, University of Foggia, Ospedali Riuniti, Viale L. Pinto, 71100 Foggia, Italy. c.capurso@unifg.it
authors.forename: Cristiano
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Capurso
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Solfrizzi
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Colacicco
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Introno
authors.forename: Vincenza
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Frisardi
authors.forename: Bruno P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Imbimbo
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lorusso
authors.forename: Gianluigi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vendemiale
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Denitto
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Santamato
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Seripa
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pilotto
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fiore
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Capurso
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Panza
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D015850:Interleukin-6