ABSTRACT

To investigate if there is an association between cytokine gene polymorphism and serum level of HLA-G, which is known to be an immu-notolerogenic molecule.

Fifty-five patients receiving primary liver trans-plants were enrolled in this study. HLA-G serum levels were determined by ELISA method. All genotyping (TNF-α, TGF-β, IL-10, IL-6, IFN-γ) experi-ments were performed using sequence-specific primers PCR (PCR-SSP).

According to the cytokine gene polymorphisms of the patients, the frequencies of high sHLA-G levels in patients were as follows: TNF-alpha-308 GG is 15.5%, -308 G/A, A/A is 20%; TGF-beta codon 10-25 T/T-G/G, T/C-G/G is 16.6%; T/C-G/C, C/C-G/G, T/T-G/C is 16.0%; IL-10-1082 GCC/GCC is 30%, -1082 GCC/ACC, GCC/ATA is 13%; ACC/ACC, ACC/ATA, ATA/ATA is 13.6%; IL-6 -174 G/G, G/C is 18.3%; IFN-gamma +874 T/T is 18.1%, +874 T/A 11.7, +874 AA is 15.3%.

Cytokines, which support the development of immune respon-se and help direct its effects, also play a role in the expression and secretion of many molecules. It is known that gene polymorphisms that also affect cytokine production cause changes in the development and progression of many diseases. The results of our study demonstrated that 30% of patients who carried a haplotype compatible with high IL-10 secretion leading to HLA-G elevation had high HLA-G levels, which was an example of indivi-dual differences due to polymorphic structures