Association of IL-1, IL-18, and IL-33 gene polymorphisms with late-onset Alzheimer's disease in a Hunan Han Chinese population

• Published in: Brain research 2015-01, Vol.1596, p.136-145
• Main Authors: Tian, M, Deng, Y Y, Hou, DR, Li, W, Feng, X L, Yu, Z L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0006-8993
• DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2014.11.019

Interleukin (IL)-1 plays an important role in Alzheimer's disease (AD), and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the IL-1 gene have been shown to be associated with AD susceptibility. IL-18 and IL-33 are proinflammatory cytokines of the IL-1 family, and increasing evidence has accumulated to support their crucial role in AD pathogenesis. To examine whether SNPs in IL-1 alpha (rs1800587), IL-1 beta (rs1143627), IL-18 (rs187238), and IL-33 (rs11792633) are associated with late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) in a Hunan Han Chinese population, we carried out a case-control study involving 201 LOAD patients and 257 healthy controls. No significant differences were found in genotype frequencies of rs1800587 between LOAD patients and controls (P=0.079), but the T allele of rs1800587 was associated with a significantly increased risk of LOAD (P=0.032, odds ratio (OR)=1.592). Significant differences in genotype (P=0.004) and allele (P=0.001) frequencies of rs11792633 were found between LOAD patients and controls, but not for rs1143627 (P=0.535, 0.262, respectively) or rs187238 (P=0.257, 0.139, respectively). The T allele of rs11792633 was found to be a protective factor for LOAD (OR=0.648). These findings suggest that the IL-1 alpha SNP rs1800587 and IL-33 SNP rs11792633, but not the IL-1 beta SNP rs1143627 or the IL-18 SNP rs187238, contribute to LOAD susceptibility in the Hunan Han Chinese population. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI: Brain and Memory.