Association of the IL-6 gene promoter-572C/G Polymorphism and cerebral infarction

Objective To study the relationship of the allele frequencies and genotype distribution of interleukin(IL 6)gene promoter 572C/G polymorphism in cerebral infarction,And analysize association of the serum levels and genotype of IL 6 with cerebral infarction in Chinese populations. Methods The IL 6 gene promoter 572C/G polymorphism were detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR RFLP) analysis among 160 patients with cerebral infarction and 175 patients with healthy controls, and the serum level of IL 6 was determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Results Cerebral infarction group showed significantly higher serum levels of IL 6 than that in control group(P0.01), There was significant difference in frequencies of allele and genotype in 572C/G polymorphism between cerebral infarction and control groups respectively(P0.05). The relative risk suffered from cerebral infarction of C allele was 1.606 times of the G allele(OR=1.606,95%CI:1.105～2.334), the serum IL 6 level was significantly higher among carriers of G allele as compared with non carriers(C allele) ( P0.05). Conclusion IL 6 gene promoter 572C/G polymorphism was associated with cerebral infarction, and G allele may be a genetic risk factor of cerebral infarction. In which the IL 6 G allele carriers may be increase risk by enhancing the IL 6 expression in the pathogenesis of cerebral infarction.