Lower prevalence of IL-4 receptor alpha-chain gene G variant in very-low-birth-weight infants with necrotizing enterocolitis

• Published in: Journal of pediatric surgery 2003-09, Vol.38 (9), p.1374-1378
• Main Authors: Treszl, András, Héninger, Erika, Kálmán, Attila, Schuler, Agnes, Tulassay, Tivadar, Vásárhelyi, Barna
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alleles; Enterocolitis, Necrotizing - epidemiology; Enterocolitis, Necrotizing - genetics; Enterocolitis, Necrotizing - immunology; Genotype; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; Interleukin-1 - genetics; Interleukin-10 - genetics; Interleukin-6 - genetics; Mutation; Polymorphism, Genetic; Prevalence; Receptors, Interleukin-4 - genetics; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Severity of Illness Index; Th2 Cells
• ISSN: 1531-5037
• DOI: 10.1016/S0022-3468(03)00399-3

Altered production of immunoregulatory cytokines is associated with the development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in preterm very low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants. According to data obtained in adults, functional genetic polymorphisms influence cytokine production capacity. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether functional polymorphisms of interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-4 receptor alpha-chain (IL-4ra), IL-6, and IL-10 genes might be associated with the risk of NEC in VLBW infants. Dried blood spot samples of 46 VLBW infants with NEC were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) methods. Samples from 90 VLBW infants without NEC were used as controls. Infants with NEC carried the mutant variant of IL-4ra less frequently than controls (0.125 v 0.224; P