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IL-18 gene polymorphism, cardiovascular mortality and coronary artery disease

Jussi A Hernesniemi1, Kaisa Anttila, Tuomo Nieminen

  • 1Laboratory of Atherosclerosis Genetics, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Tampere University Hospital, Centre for Laboratory Medicine, Tampere, Finland Medical School, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland. jussi.hernesniemi@uta.fi

European Journal of Clinical Investigation
|August 26, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Interleukin 18 (IL-18) gene variations did not link to cardiovascular mortality in Finnish patients. However, a specific IL-18 gene haplotype showed a gender-dependent association with coronary artery disease (CAD) expression.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Genetics
  • Molecular Cardiology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Interleukin 18 (IL-18) is a pro-atherosclerotic cytokine implicated in cardiovascular disease.
  • Previous studies linked elevated IL-18 levels and gene variations to acute coronary events and mortality in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients.
  • The role of IL-18 gene polymorphism in CAD progression and cardiovascular mortality requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between IL-18 gene polymorphism and cardiovascular mortality in Finnish patients.
  • To examine the effect of IL-18 gene polymorphism on the expression of angiography-verified CAD.
  • To explore potential gender-specific effects of IL-18 gene polymorphism on CAD.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 2152 Finnish patients from the Finnish Cardiovascular Study was followed for 6.3 years for cardiovascular mortality.
  • Coronary angiography was performed on 461 patients to assess CAD severity.
  • Genotyping of five common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the IL-18 gene was conducted using the 5' nuclease assay.

Main Results:

  • IL-18 gene polymorphism was not significantly associated with cardiovascular mortality in the overall study population.
  • Male carriers of a specific major IL-18 haplotype (carrying the 't' allele of the +127 C/t SNP) exhibited a reduced occurrence of significant CAD (>50% stenosis).
  • No significant associations were found in women, and a significant sex-by-genotype interaction was observed (P=0.033).

Conclusions:

  • The IL-18 gene polymorphism does not appear to be a significant predictor of cardiovascular mortality in this cohort.
  • A specific IL-18 gene haplotype demonstrates a gender-dependent influence on the expression of coronary artery disease.
  • These findings highlight the importance of considering genetic factors and sex in the context of CAD.
Abstract

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