Malaria Journal (Aug 2005)

A functional polymorphism in the <it>IL1B </it>gene promoter, <it>IL1B </it>-31C>T, is not associated with cerebral malaria in Thailand

  • Tangpukdee Noppadon,
  • Hananantachai Hathairad,
  • Patarapotikul Jintana,
  • Doi Akihiro,
  • Naka Izumi,
  • Ohashi Jun,
  • Looareesuwan Sornchai,
  • Tokunaga Katsushi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-4-38
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 4, no. 1
p. 38

Abstract

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Abstract Background IL-1β and IL-1RA levels are higher in the serum of cerebral malaria patients than in patients with mild malaria. Recently, the level of IL1B expression was reported to be influenced by a polymorphism in the promoter of IL1, IL1B -31C>T. Methods To examine whether polymorphisms in IL1B and IL1RA influence the susceptibility to cerebral malaria, IL1B -31C>T, IL1B 3953C>T, and IL1RA variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) were analysed in 312 Thai patients with malaria (109 cerebral malaria and 203 mild malaria patients). Results In this population, IL1B -31C>T and IL1RA VNTRwere detected, while IL1B 3953C>T (i.e., IL1B 3953T) was not observed in the polymorphism screening for 32 patients. Further analyses for IL1B -31C>T and IL1RA VNTR in 110 cerebral malaria and 206 mild malaria patients showed no significant association of these polymorphisms with cerebral malaria. Conclusion The present results suggest that IL1B -31C>T and IL1RA VNTR polymorphisms do not play a crucial role in susceptibility or resistance to cerebral malaria.