Cytokine polymorphism in patients with migraine: some suggestive clues of migraine and inflammation.
OBJECTIVE
There are contrasting results obtained in migraineurs concerning the levels and the role of both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. In this study, the association of the occurrence and clinical characteristics of migraine with the polymorphisms of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) -308 G/A (rs1800629), interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha) +4845 G/T (rs17561), IL-1beta+3953 C/T (rs1143634) and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist variable number tandem repeat (IL-1RA VNTR) genes were studied. We also investigated the genetic linkage between these genes.


METHODS
Sixty-seven patients with migraine without aura (MwoA) and 96 unrelated, age- and sex-matched migraine-free, healthy control subjects from the same geographic area were investigated.


RESULTS
We observed significant differences in the genotypic distribution of the TNF-alpha-308 G/A and IL-1beta+3953 C/T polymorphism for migraineurs compared with controls (P = 0.004). Frequency of the TNF-alpha-308 GG genotype was higher in the control group than MwoA group (82.1% vs 55.2%). Differences in the distribution of the allele frequencies were also observed, being the TNF-alpha-308 G allele overrepresented in control group and TNF-alpha-308 A allele in MwoA group. In addition, there was a significant increase of the IL-1beta+3953 T allele in MwoA cases compared with controls (P = 0.004).


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, the present results indicate the possible contribution of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta gene polymorphisms to migraine headache generation in MwoA patients.
Yilmaz
Ibrahim Arda
IA
Department of Neurology, Mersin University School of Medicine, Mersin, Turkey.
Ozge
Aynur
A
Erdal
Mehmet Emin
ME
Edgünlü
Tuba Gökdoğan
TG
Cakmak
Sema Erol
SE
Yalin
Osman Ozgür
OO
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000235:genetics*; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D053582:Interleukin-1alpha / Q000235:genetics*; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein; D053582:Interleukin-1alpha; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha