TY  - EJOU
AU  - Eklund, Carita 
AU  - Jahan, Farhana 
AU  - Pessi, Tanja 
AU  - Lehtimäki, Terho 
AU  - Hurme, Mikko 

TI  - Interleukin 1B gene polymorphism is associated with baseline C-reactive protein levels in healthy individuals
T2  - European Cytokine Network

PY  - 2003
VL  - 14
IS  - 3
SN  - 1952-4005

AB  - C-reactive protein (CRP) is a sensitive marker of inflammation induced by both IL-6 and IL-1.
Thus, genetic variation in these genes could be associated with the variety in C-reactive protein levels, and
therefore with the severity of the entire inflammatory response. Even a subtle elevation in baseline CRP levels in
healthy individuals has been found to significantly increase the risk for cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, to find
out the possible role of pro-inflammatory cytokines in CRP baseline regulation we conducted a study of
338 healthy blood donors whose CRP levels were determined and whose single nucleotide polymorphisms of
IL1A(C/T)-889, IL1B(C/T)-511, IL1B(C/T) + 3954, IL6(G/C)-174 and ILRN (a VNTR) both genotyped and
haplotyped. The data revealed an association between CRP levels and the IL1B + 3954 genotype. Also, the bilocus
haplotype IL1B-511*1/IL1B + 3954*2 was more frequent in subjects with below median CRP levels (< 0.72 mg/l),
and composite genotype analysis of IL1B-511/IL1B + 3954 supported this finding. Our findings suggest that in
healthy people, basal CRP levels are regulated by IL1B but not by IL6 genetics.
KW  - CRP; IL1B; polymorphisms
KW  -  immunogenetics
KW  -  inflammation

DO  -