Functional IL-18 promoter gene polymorphisms in Tunisian nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients

作者：Farhat Karim; Hassen Elham^*; Bouzgarrou Nadia; Gabbouj Sallouha; Bouaouina Noureddine; Chouchane Lotfi

来源：Cytokine, 2008, 43(2): 132-137.

DOI：10.1016/j.cyto.2008.05.004

• interleukin-18
• nasopharyngeal carcinoma
• susceptibility

Objectives: There is growing evidence suggesting that IL-18 levels may affect individual to virus-associated neoplasia and that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the gene may influence its production. In this study we wanted to know whether IL-18 polymorphisms at positions -607 C/A and -137 G/A are associated with susceptibility and/or are markers of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) prognosis. Methods: Using the restriction fragment length polymerase chain reaction (RFLP-PCR), 163 Tunisian patients and 164 healthy controls were genotyped. Results: No significant association was found between each studied polymorphism and NPC. However, we noted that the -607 A allele, which is associated with lower IL-18 production, increased the risk of advanced tumor stages (OR = 3.59: P = 0.017) and that this risk was more pronounced among the older patient's age at onset (OR = 3.85; P = 0.012). Moreover, the significant difference in CA/GG haplotype frequency distribution between young and older patients supported the idea that NPC disease has biologically different features between age sub-groups. Conclusion: Functional IL-18 gene polymorphisms do not influence the susceptibility to NPC in Tunisians but may contribute to disease onset and aggressiveness.

• 出版日期2008-8