IL-18 promoter -137G/C polymorphism correlates with chronic hepatitis B and affects the expression of interleukins.
The relationship between the interleukin (IL)-18 promoter -137G/C polymorphism and plasma levels of IL-18, IL-12, IL-4, and IFN-γ in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and healthy subjects was investigated. The polymorphism was genotyped by a ligase detection reaction-PCR (LDR-PCR), while the cytokines were assayed by ELISA. Compared with healthy subjects, CHB patients exhibited an increased frequency of the G allele, GG genotype and increased IL-4 levels, but decreased levels of IL-18, IL-12, and IFN-γ. A positive correlation for IL-18 ~ IL-12 ~ IFN-γ and a negative correlation for IL-18 ~ IL-4 were found. We conclude that the IL-18 promoter -137G polymorphisms correlated with CHB infection and influenced the expression of IL-18. The studied interleukins represent an immunomodulatory network that plays important roles in host immune responses to CHB infection.
H
H
Jiang
H
H
Cao
G
G
Liu
Q
Q
Huang
Y
Y
Li
D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000235:genetics*; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*
D020382:Interleukin-18; D007378:Interleukins
chronic hepatitis B; polymorphism; interleukins; interferon gamma; cytokines.