title: Role of interleukin 6-174G>C polymorphism  in primary open-angle glaucoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In addition to its proinflammatory effects, interleukin (IL)-6 also possesses antiapoptotic properties. Recently, IL-6 has been reported to protect retinal ganglion cells from pressure-induced apoptosis, indicating a possible role in the pathogenesis of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). A common polymorphism in the promoter region of IL-6 gene at position -174 characterized by a substitution from G to C has been found to decrease transcription rate of IL-6. The aim of our study was to investigate a hypothesized association between IL-6-174G>C polymorphism and POAG in Caucasian patients. METHODS. The present case-control study comprised 191 unrelated patients with POAG and 191 control subjects, matched for age and sex. Genotyping of the IL-6-174G>C polymorphism was done using polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Allelic frequencies and genotype distribution of IL-6-174G>C did not significantly differ between patients with POAG and control subjects (p>0.05). Presence of the IL-6-174C allele was associated with a nonsignificant odds ratio of 0.78 (95% confidence interval 0.46-1.32; p=0.78) for POAG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that the functional IL-6-174G>C polymorphism itself is unlikely a major risk factor for POAG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weger
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Faschinger
authors.forename: Wilfried
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Renner
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mossböck
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics*; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012307:Risk Factors; D014065:Tonometry, Ocular
chemical_list: C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6