Molecular Biology Reports

, 36:2393 | Cite as

Interleukin-18 gene promoter and serum level in women with ovarian cancer

  • Alamtaj Samsami Dehaghani
  • Khatere Shahriary
  • Mohammad Amin Kashef
  • Sirous Naeimi
  • Mohammad Javad Fattahi
  • Zahra Mojtahedi
  • Abbas Ghaderi
Article
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Abstract

IL-18, initially defined as a potent inducer of IFN- γ production, is a systemic, multifunctional cytokine with both pro-cancerous and anti-cancer activities. The contribution of the IL-18 promoter polymorphisms at positions −607 (C/A) and −137 (G/C) to cancer development has been reported. We sought to examine IL-18 serum level and its polymorphisms in Iranian women with ovarian cancer. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at positions −607 (C/A) and −137 (G/C) were analyzed by allele-specific polymerase chain reaction in 85 women with ovarian cancer and 158 healthy controls. IL-18 serum level was determined using ELISA method. No significant association was found between the allele, genotype, and haplotype distributions of the SNPs and ovarian cancer. Mean IL-18 serum level was significantly higher in patients than in controls (P = 0.008). Comparing IL-18 serum levels with genotypes at positions −607 and −137 revealed no significant difference. No association was also found between IL-18 levels and the disease stage. In conclusion, our results indicate that IL-18 promoter polymorphisms at positions −607 (C/A) and −137 (G/C) appear not to confer susceptibility to ovarian cancer in Iranian population; however, IL-18 serum level increases in ovarian cancer patients.

Keywords

IL-18 Gene Promoter Ovarian cancer 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

The authors thank to Dr Nasrollah Erfani for his assistance in statistical analysis. This work was supported by a grant from Shiraz Institute for Cancer Research (Grant number: CR83-110).

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009

Authors and Affiliations

  • Alamtaj Samsami Dehaghani
    • 1
  • Khatere Shahriary
    • 1
  • Mohammad Amin Kashef
    • 2
  • Sirous Naeimi
    • 2
  • Mohammad Javad Fattahi
    • 2
  • Zahra Mojtahedi
    • 2
  • Abbas Ghaderi
    • 2
    • 3
  1. 1.Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyShiraz University of Medical SciencesShirazIran
  2. 2.Shiraz Institute for Cancer ResearchShiraz University of Medical SciencesShirazIran
  3. 3.Department of ImmunologyShiraz University of Medical SciencesShirazIran

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