Genetic Variations On IL10 Gene and Helicobacter Pylori Infection

Abstract

Rationale Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a strong risk factor for gastric cancer, likely due to the extensive inflammation in the stomach mucosa caused by this bacterium. Many studies have reported the modulatory effect of H. pylori in human immune system. The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between IL10 genetic variants, H. pylori infection and IL-10 production by peripheral blood leukocytes.

Methods We genotyped 12 IL10 SNPs in 1,353 children aged 4-11 years living in a poor urban area in Salvador, Brazil, using TaqMan probe based, 5’ nuclease assay minor groove binder chemistry. Association tests were performed by logistic regression for H. pylori infection and linear regression for IL-10 spontaneous production (whole blood cultures) including sex, age and principal components for informative ancestry markers as covariates, using PLINK.

Results Our results shown that SNPs rs1800896 (p=0.02), rs1878672 (p=0.05) and rs3024491 (p=0.04) on IL10 gene were associated with increased H. pylori infection. The same SNPs associated to H. pylori infection were also associated with increased production of spontaneous IL-10 (p=0.04 for rs1800896, p= 0.04 for rs1878672 and p= 0.01 for rs3024491).

Conclusions IL10 variants rs1800896, rs1878672 and rs3024491 increase the risk for H. pylori infection probably by its modulatory effect on IL-10 production.