Associations of IL-12, IL12R polymorphisms and serum IL-12 levels with high-risk human papillomavirus susceptibility in rural women from Luohe, Henan, China

Association of cytokine gene polymorphisms with peripheral neuropathy susceptibility in people living with HIV in Greece

Relatively little research has been done in recent years to understand what leads to the unceasingly high rates of HIV sensory neuropathy despite successful antiretroviral treatment. In vivo and in vitro studies demonstrate neuronal damage induced by HIV and increasingly identified ART neurotoxicity involving mitochondrial dysfunction and innate immune system activation in peripheral nerves, ultimately all pathways resulting in enhanced pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion. Furthermore, many infectious/autoimmune/malignant diseases are influenced by the production-profile of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, due to inter-individual allelic polymorphism within cytokine gene regulatory regions. Associations of cytokine gene polymorphisms are investigated with the aim of identifying potential genetic markers for susceptibility to HIV peripheral neuropathy including ART-dependent toxic neuropathy. One hundred seventy-one people living with HIV in Northern Greece, divided into two sub-groups according to the presence/absence of peripheral neuropathy, were studied over a 5-year period. Diagnosis was based on the Brief Peripheral Neuropathy Screening. Cytokine genotyping was performed by sequence-specific primer-polymerase chain reaction. Present study findings identify age as an important risk factor (p < 0.01) and support the idea that cytokine gene polymorphisms are at least involved in HIV peripheral-neuropathy pathogenesis. Specifically, carriers of IL1a-889/rs1800587 TT genotype and IL4-1098/rs2243250 GG genotype disclosed greater relative risk for developing HIV peripheral neuropathy (OR: 2.9 and 7.7 respectively), while conversely, carriers of IL2+166/rs2069763 TT genotype yielded lower probability (OR: 3.1), all however, with marginal statistical significance. The latter, if confirmed in a larger Greek population cohort, may offer in the future novel genetic markers to identify susceptibility, while it remains significant that further ethnicity-oriented studies continue to be conducted in a similar pursuit.

Association between single nucleotide polymorphisms and viral load in congenital cytomegalovirus infection

Background

There are limited data on factors that determine viral load (VL) in congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) might influence individual host response to infection. This study aimed to investigate the association between SNPs in genes encoding cytokines or cytokine receptors and VL in newborns with cCMV.

Material and methods

Eight polymorphisms (IL1B rs16944, IL12B rs3212227, IL28B rs12979860, CCL2 rs1024611, DC-SIGN rs735240, TLR2 rs5743708, TLR4 rs4986791 and TLR9 rs352140) were analyzed in study population of 233 newborns, including 92 cCMV-infected newborns (73 symptomatic and 19 asymptomatic) by TaqMan SNP Predesigned Genotyping Assays. The association analysis was performed using SNPStats software and STATISTICA10.

Results

The association between IL12B polymorphism and viruria was observed (p = 0.029). In multiple comparison tests, heterozygous T/G genotype of IL12B was associated with higher viruria than T/T genotype (p = 0.041) in cCMV-infected newborns. In allele analysis, T allele of IL12B was associated with higher viremia (p = 0.037) in symptomatic newborns. We observed higher VL in symptomatic newborns in comparison to asymptomatic (median viremia: 1.7 × 10⁴ copies/mL vs. 2.0 × 10³ copies/mL (p = 0.002), median viruria: 1.0 × 10⁷ copies/mL versus 6.9 × 10⁵ copies/mL (p = 0.001), respectively).

Conclusions

IL12B rs3212227 was associated with VL in cCMV. Symptomatic newborns had significantly higher viremia and viruria. The role of SNPs in pathogenesis of cCMV warrants further investigations.

Interleukin-12B gene rs6887695 and rs2288831 polymorphisms are associated with an increased risk of ulcerative colitis development in Chinese Han population: A case-control study

Background

The association of the interleukin (IL)‐12B gene rs6887695 and rs2288831 polymorphisms with ulcerative colitis (UC) risk has been extensively investigated, but results are conflicting. In this study, we investigated potential link between the IL‐12B gene rs6887695 and rs2288831 polymorphisms and UC development in Chinese Han population.

Material and Methods

Genotyping was performed in 367 patients and 456 controls through polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Plasma levels of IL‐12B were tested using an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

We found that the IL‐12B gene rs6887695 and rs2288831 polymorphisms were related to a significantly increased risk of UC. Subgroup analyses revealed significant associations of the IL‐12B gene rs6887695 and rs2288831 polymorphisms with UC risk among females, consumers of alcohol, and those aged <40 years. Additionally, the rs6887695 and rs2288831 polymorphisms were associated with lesion location and UC treatment. Last, we found that these two polymorphisms were associated with IL‐12B levels.

Conclusions

The IL‐12B gene rs6887695 and rs2288831 polymorphisms were associated with a higher risk, and the clinical characteristics, of UC.