Polymorphisms of IL-10 affect the severity and prognosis of myelodysplastic syndrome

Polymorphisms of the interleukin-10 (IL-10) gene, which alter the production of IL-10, have been implicated in many cancers. We investigated the association between gene polymorphisms of the promoter region of IL-10 (-1082 G/A, IL-10-819 C/T, and -592 C/A) and the risk to develop myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and clinical features of MDS. Genomic DNA was extracted from 119 patients with MDS or chronic myelomonocytic leukemia and 202 healthy controls. Genotypes were determined by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. There were no statistically significant differences in the genotype, allele, and haplotype frequencies of IL-10 -1082 G/A, IL-10-819 C/T, and -592 C/A between the patients with MDS and the control group. However, the IL-10 -592 CC genotype group (IL-10 high producer type) was associated with lower hemoglobin level (7.85 ± 2.02 g/dL vs. 9.37 ± 2.25 g/dL, P = 0.027) and poorer prognosis as compared to the IL-10 -592 non-CC genotype group (median survival time 50.2 m vs. not reached, p = 0.026). In addition, the IL-10 high producer haplotype group (GCC/ACC or ACC/ACC) was also associated with lower hemoglobin level and shorter survival time. Our findings indicate that IL-10 gene polymorphisms may not contribute to susceptibility to MDS, but they may be associated with the severity and prognosis of MDS.