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Cytokine gene polymorphisms in ischaemic heart disease: investigation using family-based tests of association

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Abstract

Atherosclerosis has an inflammatory basis, with cytokines, cellular adhesion molecules and pro-inflammatory cells having important roles in the initiation and progression of this process. Interleukin (IL) 6, IL-10 and transforming growth factor (TGF) β1 have been proposed as important modulators of the atherosclerotic process, with IL-6 having a pro-inflammatory, atherogenic effect and IL-10 and TGF-β1 having anti-inflammatory, protective roles. The possible role of functional polymorphisms in the promoter regions of the IL-6, IL-10 and TGF-β1 genes in the susceptibility to ischaemic heart disease (IHD) was investigated in a well-defined Irish population using two recently described family-based tests of association. We genotyped 1,012 individuals from 386 families with at least one member prematurely affected with IHD. Using the combined transmission disequilibrium test (TDT)/sib-TDT and the pedigree disequilibrium test, no association between any of the IL-6 −174G/C, IL-10 −1082G/A and TGF-β1 −509C/T polymorphisms and IHD was found. Our data demonstrate that, in an Irish population, these polymorphisms are not associated with IHD.

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Abbreviations

IHD :

Ischaemic heart disease

IL :

Interleukin

PDT :

Pedigree disequilibrium test

TDT :

Transmission disequilibrium test

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Research and Development Office, Northern Ireland, a Royal Victoria Hospital Research Fellowship, the Northern Ireland Chest, Heart and Stroke Association, and the Heart Trust Fund (Royal Victoria Hospital). We thank Christine Belton and Jill Kilner for their technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Regional Medical Cardiology Centre, Royal Victoria Hospital, Grosvenor Road, Belfast, BT12 6BA, UK

    Paul G. McGlinchey, Mark S. Spence, Gillian Murphy & Pascal P. McKeown

  2. Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Queen’s University of Belfast, Mulhouse Building, Grosvenor Road, Belfast, BT12 6BJ, UK

    Chris C. Patterson

  3. Department of Medicine, Queen’s University of Belfast, Institute of Clinical Science, Grosvenor Road, Belfast, BT12 6BJ, UK

    Adrian R. Allen & Pascal P. McKeown

  4. Department of Medical Genetics, Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast City Hospital, Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7AB, UK

    David A. Savage

  5. Department of Nephrology, Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast City Hospital, Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7AB, UK

    A. Peter Maxwell

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  1. Paul G. McGlinchey
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  2. Mark S. Spence
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  8. Pascal P. McKeown
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Correspondence to Pascal P. McKeown.

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McGlinchey, P.G., Spence, M.S., Patterson, C.C. et al. Cytokine gene polymorphisms in ischaemic heart disease: investigation using family-based tests of association. J Mol Med 82, 756–761 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00109-004-0576-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00109-004-0576-6

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