title: Genetic polymorphism of interleukin-6 gene and susceptibility to acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Inflammatory processes play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Genes coding for cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) are candidates for predisposing to the risk of coronary artery disease. The aim of this study was to investigate whether molecular polymorphism of the IL-6 gene is involved in the predisposition to acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Genomic DNA and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with AMI and controls were extracted. IL-6 gene variations were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction enzyme analysis. The mRNA expression of IL-6 gene and plasma levels of IL-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP) were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of 'C' allele in -174 G/C variation was higher in patients with AMI than in controls. The IL-6 -174 'C' allele is associated with high levels of IL-6 in the patients, of which the patients with CC and GC genotypes significantly have higher IL-6 concentrations, respectively. Increased CRP concentrations were associated with -174 G/C variation in the patients compared with controls. The mRNA expression levels of IL-6 were significantly higher in the patient compared with controls (P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study indicate the relationship between IL-6 gene polymorphism and the risk of AMI, which suggests that genetic polymorphism in IL-6 gene, might be helpful for determining susceptibility to AMI in Iranian patients. In addition, susceptibility to AMI might be related to IL-6 gene expression, which affects its plasma levels. CRP plasma levels also were associated with IL-6 gene variation in the patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Shahid Modarress Hospital, Iran.
authors.forename: Hosain
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vakili
authors.forename: Sayyed Mohammad Hossein
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ghaderian
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Akbarzadeh Najar
authors.forename: Akram Sadat
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Tabatabaei Panah
authors.forename: Eznollah
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Azargashb
mesh_terms: D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes / Q000737:chemistry; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D015850:Interleukin-6; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D002097:C-Reactive Protein