Association of interleukin-6-572G/C gene polymorphisms in the Cantonese population with intracranial aneurysms

Recent studies have demonstrated that cytokines play an important role in the pathogenesis of intracranial aneurysms (IAs). Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is an important proinflammatory cytokine. In our study, we investigated the association of genetic variants within the gene encoding interleukin-6-572G/C (IL-6-572G/C) with IAs in the Cantonese population. The IL-6-572G/C gene polymorphisms in 182 IA cases and 182 controls were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Differences in genotype and allele frequencies between patients and controls were tested. There is significant difference of IL-6-572G/C genotype frequencies in IA group compared with control group (P = 0.01), and significant difference of IL-6-572G/C allele frequency in IA group (11.54%) compared with control group (4.95%) (P = 0.001). Polymorphisms within IL-6-572G/C gene are associated with IAs in the Cantonese population suggesting that the IL-6-572G/C gene is an important candidate gene for IAs.