Abstract
This study examined a possible association of the G>C polymorphism at nucleotide −174
in the promoter region of the interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene (rs1800795) with the prevalence
of diabetic complications in 235 patients with type 1 and 498 patients with type 2
diabetes. Genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and subsequent
cleavage by Nla III restriction endonuclease. Analyzing all diabetic patients together demonstrated that
301 patients (41.1%) carried the GG genotype, 114 (15.6%) the CC genotype, and 318
(43.3%) were heterozygous for the GC genotype. However, there was no correlation of
any of the genotypes with the prevalence of diabetic nephropathy or diabetic neuropathy,
but subjects with the CC genotype had a significantly higher prevalence of diabetic
retinopathy compared to patients with the GC and GG genotype (p=0.016). This association
was mainly lost when a logistic regression model was adjusted for diabetes duration
(p=0.07). Consistently, a weak but not significant association of the polymorphism
with diabetic retinopathy was observed when type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients were
analyzed separately (patients with type 1 diabetes: p=0.12; patients with type 2 diabetes:
p=0.09). Analogically, no association of the polymorphism was found for diabetic nephropathy
or diabetic neuropathy in these groups. In conclusion these data suggest no major
influence of the −174G>C variant in the promoter region of the IL-6 gene on the development
of microvascular complications in patients with diabetes.
Key words
diabetes - interleukin - diabetic neuropathy - diabetic retinopathy - diabetic nephropathy
- rs1800795
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Correspondence
G. RudofskyJr., MD
Department of Medicine I and Clinical Chemistry
University of Heidelberg
Im Neuenheimer Feld 410
69120 Heidelberg
Germany
Telefon: +49/6221/563 86 20
Fax: +49/6221/564 23 3
eMail: gottfried_rudofsky@med.uni-heidelberg.de