Analysis of cytokine gene polymorphisms in Mestizo and native populations from Mexico

To determine whether the well-known genetic structure of the Mexican population observed with other multiallelic markers can be detected by analyzing functional polymorphisms of cytokine and other inflammatory-response-related genes.

A total of 834 Mestizo individuals from five Mexican cities and 92 Lacandonians - an Amerindian group from southeastern Mexico - were genotyped for 14 polymorphisms in the CRP, IL10, IL6, TGFB1, TNFA, LTA, ICAM1 IFNG, and IL1RN genes. Allele and haplotype frequencies were used for genetic structure analysis using F-statistics pairwise distances and multidimensional scaling plot. Ancestry analysis was performed, as well.

Significant interpopulational differences at the allele and haplotype frequency level were observed, mainly between Northern (Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Culiacan) and Southern (Tierra Blanca and Puebla) Mexican populations. Also, low but significant substructure was detected between some populations from these two broad regions. Interestingly, both Lacandonian populations were highly differentiated from each other and with respect to Mestizos. Consistent with previous data, Amerindian ancestry in the Southern Mexican groups was higher compared to Northern ones.

The Mexican population exhibits regional differences in functional polymorphisms of inflammatory-response genes, as observed for other genetic markers. This information constitutes a reference for epidemiological studies that include these genetic markers to assess the susceptibility of the Mexican population to several immune-response-related diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, and renal disease, which have been shown to be common in the Mexican population but with prevalence differences within this country.