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Published on: July 14, 2016
Interleukin-8 promoter polymorphism -251A/T is a risk factor for age-related macular degeneration
S V Goverdhan1, S Ennis, S R Hannan
1Clinical Neurosciences Division, Mailpoint 806, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK.
Background/Aims:
To determine whether four expression-related cytokine polymorphisms are associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Methods:
DNA from 478 cases with AMD and 555 normal controls was genotyped for the pro-inflammatory IL1beta -511C/T, IL6 -174C/G, IL8 -251A/T and anti-inflammatory IL10 -1082G/A cytokine polymorphisms using the 5' nuclease TaqMan(R) assay for allelic discrimination. Associations with AMD were analysed using allelic frequencies.
Results:
The -251A allele of the IL8 promoter gene polymorphism was more prevalent in AMD patients than controls (p = 0.037, OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.01 to 1.44). Adjusting for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), current smoking and past smoking status did not alter the AMD association significantly (corrected p value = 0.043, OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.0 to 1.50).
Conclusion:
The pro-inflammatory homozygous IL8 -251AA genotype is an important risk factor for AMD. This may have implications for future therapy with biological agents that could target this cytokine.
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