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Interleukin-6 genotype and risk for cerebral palsy in term and near-term infants

Yvonne W Wu1, Lisa A Croen, Anthony R Torres

  • 1Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0137, USA. wuy@neuropeds.ucsf.edu

Annals of Neurology
|November 26, 2009
PubMed

Insights

The interleukin-6 (IL-6) -174 G/C gene polymorphism is a risk factor for cerebral palsy (CP) in term infants. Infants with the CC genotype showed a significantly higher risk for developing CP.

Area of Science:

  • Genetics
  • Neonatal Neurology
  • Perinatal Medicine

Background:

  • Chorioamnionitis is a known risk factor for cerebral palsy (CP) in term infants.
  • A specific functional polymorphism in the interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene has been linked to newborn brain injury.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether the IL-6 -174 G/C gene polymorphism increases the risk of CP in term infants.
  • To determine the association between IL-6 gene variants and CP development.

Main Methods:

  • A population-based case-control study involving 334,333 live-born infants (gestation >= 36 weeks) from 1991-2002.
  • Case patients (n=250) had spastic or dyskinetic CP; control patients (n=305) were randomly selected.
  • IL-6 -174 G/C polymorphism was analyzed from neonatal blood specimens.

Main Results:

  • The IL-6 CC genotype was associated with a 2.6-fold increased risk for overall CP compared to the GG genotype.
  • Specific CP subtypes, including quadriparetic and hemiparetic CP, showed significantly higher risks with the CC genotype.
  • Independent risk factors for CP included the CC genotype, clinical chorioamnionitis, advanced maternal age, and male sex.

Conclusions:

  • The study suggests that a functional polymorphism in the IL-6 gene is a significant risk factor for CP in term and near-term infants.
  • The IL-6 -174 G/C polymorphism may play a role in the pathogenesis of CP.
Abstract

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