The gene for interleukin 6: the candidate gene for neuropsychiatric illness?
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2006 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | American Journal of Medical Genetics |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Neurology, neurosurgery, neurosciences |
| Keywords | IL-6; polymorphism; alcohol dependence; ADHD |
| Description | IL-6 plays the role as a physiological neuromodulator involved in dopaminergic, serotonergic and other neurotransmissions. Genetic variation (-174 G/C polymorphism) in the promoter region of the IL-6 gene influences the expression of IL-6. Our objective was to determine whether -174 G/C polymorphism of IL-6 is associated with alcoholism and ADHD. In our two independent association studies, we investigated the relationship between above mentioned polymorphism and alcoholism in 400 alcoholics and 400 controls, and in ADHD study in 49 hyperactive boys and 40 control boys. We found a statistically significant difference (p<0.03) in allelic frequencies between alcoholics and controls and statistically significant difference (p<0.001) between controls and ADHD subjects using Fisher exact test. The C allele was observed more frequently in alcoholics, as well as in ADHD group of boys in comparing with control subjects. Our association studies provided new data about the relationship between -174 G/C polymorphism of IL-6 gene and alcoholism/ADHD. These findings highlight the need for further investigations of the influence of cytokine genes on pathogenesis of variable psychiatric disorders. In according with recent in vitro experiments, we expect the finding of the relationship between studied IL-6 polymorphism and the embryonal development of specific human brain structures. |
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