title: Interleukin 4-590T/C polymorphism and susceptibility to leprosy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. Cell-mediated (Th1) immune response and humoral (Th2) immune response play different roles in leprosy infection. Interleukin 4 (IL-4) is a typical Th2 cytokine. It is a critical mediator of the Th1/Th2 balance.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study is to investigate the association between IL-4 gene -590T/C polymorphism and the susceptibility to leprosy in a Chinese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The IL-4 variant -590T/C was detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism in 432 leprosy cases and 465 age-matched healthy controls. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Frequencies of the IL-4-590TC and CC genotypes and the -590C allele were significantly lower in patients with leprosy than in healthy controls (odds ratio [OR]=0.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.55-0.99, p=0.044; OR=0.46, 95% CI 0.25-0.84, p=0.010; and OR=0.68, 95% CI 0.54-0.86, p=0.001, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that the -590T/C polymorphism of the IL-4 gene is associated with decreased susceptibility of leprosy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, 1278 Bao De Road, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Degang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Haihan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Weimin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Heng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Zhichun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jing
authors.forename: Weiguo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pei
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000235:genetics*; D007918:Leprosy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015847:Interleukin-4