title: Ischemic stroke susceptibility gene in a Northern Han Chinese population.
abstract: Interleukin-18 gene promoter polymorphisms are potential risk factors for ischemic cerebrovascular disease, and the -607C allele may increase ischemic stroke risk in the Han Chinese population. In the present study, we recruited 291 patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease from the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Medical College, China, and 226 healthy controls. Both patients and controls were from the Han population in northern China. Immunoresonance scattering assays detected increased serum amyloid A protein, C-reactive protein, and interleukin-18 levels in ischemic cerebrovascular disease patients compared with healthy controls. Analysis of the -607C/A (rs1946518) polymorphism in the interleukin-18 gene promoter showed ischemic cerebrovascular disease patients exhibited increased frequencies of the CC genotype and C alleles than healthy controls. Genotype and allele frequencies of the interleukin-18 -137G/C (rs187238) polymorphism and the -13T/C (rs11024595) polymorphism in the 5'-flanking region of serum amyloid A, showed no significant difference between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis on the interleukin-18 promoter A/C genetic locus, for correction of age, gender, history of smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesteremia, and an ischemic stroke family history, showed ischemic cerebrovascular disease risk in individuals without the A allele (C homozygotes) was 2.2-fold greater than in A allele carriers. Overall, our findings suggest that the -13T/C (rs11024595) polymorphism in the 5'-flanking region of serum amyloid A has no correlation with ischemic cerebrovascular disease, but the C allele of the -607C/A (rs1946518) polymorphism in the interleukin-18 promoter is a high-risk factor for ischemic cerebrovascular disease in the Han population of northern China. In addition, the A allele is likely a protective gene for ischemic cerebrovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Haiping
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Health Care Office, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Shujuan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Wenjing
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine Ward 1, Jiao Nan People's Hospital, Jiaonan 266400, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Jingjing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Haiji
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
keywords: C-reactive protein; atherosclerosis; brain injury; gene polymorphism; inflammation; interleukin-18; ischemic cerebrovascular disease; neural regeneration; neuroregeneration; serum amyloid A protein