Interleukin-1beta gene (IL-1beta) polymorphisms (SNP -511 and SNP +3953) in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) among the Polish population

Gene polymorphisms of pro-inflammatory cytokines may affect the risk of Graves' disease: a meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Gene polymorphisms of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1 (IL-1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) may influence the risk of Graves' disease, but the results of so far published studies remain inconclusive. Therefore, the authors conducted this meta-analysis to assess relationships between TNF-α/IL-1/IL-6 polymorphisms and the risk of Graves' disease by pooling the findings of all relevant studies.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature searching of Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science and CNKI was conducted by the authors, and twenty-eight studies were found to be eligible for pooled analyses.

RESULTS

The pooled meta-analyses results showed that genotypic frequencies of TNF-α rs1800629, IL-1A rs1800587, IL-6 rs1800795 and IL-6 rs1800796 polymorphisms among patients with Graves' disease and control subjects differed significantly. Moreover, we found that genotypic frequencies of TNF-α rs1800629 and IL-6 rs1800795 polymorphisms among patients with Graves' disease and control subjects in Caucasians differed significantly, and genotypic frequencies of IL-1A rs1800587, IL-1B rs16944, IL-6 rs1800795 and IL-6 rs1800796 polymorphisms among patients with Graves' disease and control subjects in Asians also differed significantly. Nevertheless, we did not detect such genotypic frequencies differences for TNF-α rs361525 and IL-1B rs1143627 polymorphisms.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis suggests that TNF-α rs1800629, IL-1A rs1800587, IL-6 rs1800795 and IL-6 rs1800796 polymorphisms may influence the risk of Graves' disease in overall population. Moreover, TNF-α rs1800629 and IL-6 rs1800795 polymorphisms may influence the risk of Graves' disease in Caucasians, while IL-1A rs1800587, IL-1B rs16944, IL-6 rs1800795 and IL-6 rs1800796 polymorphisms may influence the risk of Graves' disease in Asians.

Genetic Associations of Interleukin-related Genes with Graves' Ophthalmopathy: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Graves’ ophthalmopathy (GO) is the commonest extra-thyroidal manifestation of Graves’ disease (GD). Associations between interleukin-related (IL) gene polymorphisms and GO have been reported in different populations. We aim to confirm such associations by conducting a meta-analysis. Totally 382 publications were retrieved in MEDLINE and EMBASE up to 25/2/2015. After removing the duplicates and assessing the studies, we retrieved 16 studies that met the selection criteria for meta-analysis, involving 12 polymorphisms in 8 IL-related genes, and 1650 GO cases and 2909 GD controls. The summary odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated. We found one polymorphism in IL1A (rs1800587, c.-889C>T) showing a suggestive association with GO in the meta-analysis (allelic model [T vs. C]: OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.00–2.62, P = 0.050, I² = 53.7%; recessive model [TT vs. TC + CC]: OR = 2.39, 95% CI: 1.07–5.37, P = 0.039, I² = 23.6%; heterozygous model [TC vs. CC]: OR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.04–2.22, P = 0.034, I² = 37.0%). No association with GO was detected for the other 7 genes (IL1B, IL1RA, IL4, IL6, IL12B, IL13 and IL23R). Our results thus indicate that IL1A is likely to be a genetic biomarker for GO. Further studies with larger sample sizes are warranted to confirm the associations of IL1A and other IL-related genes with GO.

TSHR intronic polymorphisms (rs179247 and rs12885526) and their role in the susceptibility of the Brazilian population to Graves' disease and Graves' ophthalmopathy

PURPOSE

Intronic thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor polymorphisms have been associated with the risk for both Graves' disease and Graves' ophthalmopathy, but results have been inconsistent among different populations. We aimed to investigate the influence of thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor intronic polymorphisms in a large well-characterized population of GD patients.

METHODS

We studied 279 Graves' disease patients (231 females and 48 males, 39.80 ± 11.69 years old), including 144 with Graves' ophthalmopathy, matched to 296 healthy control individuals. Thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor genotypes of rs179247 and rs12885526 were determined by Real Time PCR TaqMan(®) SNP Genotyping.

RESULTS

A multivariate analysis showed that the inheritance of the thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor AA genotype for rs179247 increased the risk for Graves' disease (OR = 2.821; 95 % CI 1.595-4.990; p = 0.0004), whereas the thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor GG genotype for rs12885526 increased the risk for Graves' ophthalmopathy (OR = 2.940; 95 % CI 1.320-6.548; p = 0.0083). Individuals with Graves' ophthalmopathy also presented lower mean thyrotropin receptor antibodies levels (96.3 ± 143.9 U/L) than individuals without Graves' ophthalmopathy (98.3 ± 201.9 U/L). We did not find any association between the investigated polymorphisms and patients clinical features or outcome.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrate that thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor intronic polymorphisms are associated with the susceptibility to Graves' disease and Graves' ophthalmopathy in the Brazilian population, but do not appear to influence the disease course.

Interleukin-1 gene cluster variants in hemodialysis patients with end stage renal disease: An association and meta-analysis

We evaluated whether polymorphisms in interleukin (IL-1) gene cluster (IL-1 alpha [IL-1A], IL-1 beta [IL-1B], and IL-1 receptor antagonist [IL-1RN]) are associated with end stage renal disease (ESRD). A total of 258 ESRD patients and 569 ethnicity matched controls were examined for IL-1 gene cluster. These were genotyped for five single-nucleotide gene polymorphisms in the IL-1A, IL-1B and IL-1RN genes and a variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) in the IL-1RN. The IL-1B − 3953 and IL-1RN + 8006 polymorphism frequencies were significantly different between the two groups. At IL-1B, the T allele of − 3953C/T was increased among ESRD (P = 0.0001). A logistic regression model demonstrated that two repeat (240 base pair [bp]) of the IL-1Ra VNTR polymorphism was associated with ESRD (P = 0.0001). The C/C/C/C/C/1 haplotype was more prevalent in ESRD = 0.007). No linkage disequilibrium (LD) was observed between six loci of IL-1 gene. We further conducted a meta-analysis of existing studies and found that there is a strong association of IL-1 RN VNTR 86 bp repeat polymorphism with susceptibility to ESRD (odds ratio = 2.04, 95% confidence interval = 1.48-2.82; P = 0.000). IL-1B − 5887, +8006 and the IL-1RN VNTR polymorphisms have been implicated as potential risk factors for ESRD. The meta-analysis showed a strong association of IL-1RN 86 bp VNTR polymorphism with susceptibility to ESRD.

Association between polymorphisms in the TSHR gene and Graves' orbitopathy

BACKGROUND

Graves' orbitopathy (GO) as well as Graves' disease (GD) hyperthyroidism originate from an autoimmune reaction against the common auto-antigen, thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR). GO phenotype is associated with environmental risk factors, mainly nicotinism, as well as genetic risk factors which initiate an immunologic reaction. In some patients GO is observed before diagnosis of GD hyperthyroidism, while it can also be observed far after diagnosis. The intensity of GO symptoms varies greatly in these patients. Thus, the pathogenesis of GD and GO may correlate with different genetic backgrounds, which has been confirmed by studies of correlations between GO and polymorphisms in cytokines involved in orbit inflammation. The aim of our analysis was to assess genetic predisposition to GO in young patients (age of diagnosis ≤30 years of age), for whom environmental effects had less time to influence outcomes than in adults.

METHODS

768 GD patients were included in the study. 359 of them had clinically evident orbitopathy (NOSPECS ≥2). Patients were stratified by age at diagnosis. Association analyses were performed for genes with a known influence on development of GD - TSHR, HLA-DRB1, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA4) and lymphoid protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPN22).

RESULTS

The rs179247 TSHR polymorphism was associated with GO in young patients only. In young GO-free patients, allele A was statistically more frequent and homozygous carriers had a considerable lower risk of disease incidence than patients with AG or GG genotypes. Those differences were not found in either elderly patients or the group analyzed as a whole.

CONCLUSIONS

Allele A of the rs179247 polymorphism in the TSHR gene is associated with lower risk of GO in young GD patients.

Association between the IL1B (-511), IL1B (+3954), IL1RN (VNTR) polymorphisms and Graves' disease risk: a meta-analysis of 11 case-control studies

BACKGROUND

Data on the association between the interleukin-1 (IL-1) gene polymorphisms and Graves' disease (GD) risk were conflicting. A meta-analysis was undertaken to assess this association.

METHODS

We searched for case-control studies investigating the association between the IL1B (-511), IL1B (+3954), IL1RN (VNTR) polymorphisms and GD risk. We extracted data using standardized forms and calculated odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS

A total of 11 case-control studies were included in this meta-analysis. Available data indicated that the IL1B (-511) polymorphism was associated with GD risk in the overall populations (Caucasians and Asians) in homozygote model (TT vs. CC, OR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.76-0.97, Pz  = 0.015), but not in dominant and recessive models (TT+TC vs. CC: OR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.81-1.12, Pz  =  0.553 and TT vs. TC+CC: OR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.60-1.12, Pz  =  0.205, respectively). No association between the IL1B (+3954), IL1RN (VNTR) polymorphisms and GD risk was found in the overall populations in any of the genetic models. In subgroup analyses according to ethnicity, the IL1B (-511) polymorphism was associated with GD risk in Asians in recessive and homozygote models (TT vs. TC+CC: OR =  0.68, 95% CI: 0.55-0.84, Pz < 0.001 and TT vs. CC: OR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.70-0.93, Pz  =  0.003, respectively), but not in dominant model (TT+TC vs. CC: OR =  0.92, 95% CI: 0.77-1.11, Pz  =  0.389). No association between the IL1B (+3954), IL1RN (VNTR) polymorphisms and GD risk was indicated in Asians, and we found no association between the IL1B (-511), IL1B (+3954), IL1RN (VNTR) polymorphisms and GD risk in Caucasians in any of the genetic models.

CONCLUSION

The IL1B (-511) polymorphism, but not the IL1B (+3954) and IL1RN (VNTR) polymorphisms was associated with GD risk in Asians. There was no association between these polymorphisms and GD risk in Caucasians.

Epidemiology of Graves' orbitopathy (GO) and relationship with thyroid disease

The incidence of Graves' orbitopathy (GO) is 16/100,000 in females and 2.9/100,000 in males as studied in Olmsted county. It can be calculated that the approximate prevalence is 0.25%. There is a gender bimodal distribution. Go usually occurs at the time of onset of the hyperthyroidism but may present up to a year before that time or as long as 5 years afterwards. Around 10-15% of patients have never been hyperthyroid and some are hypothyroid at GO presentation. Although the incidence of GO has probably been decreasing during the last 2 decades definite figures for this assertion are not available. Risk factors that may influence the incidence of GO include cigarette smoking and radioiodine treatment of hyperthyroidism. There are also complex genetic factors with multiple susceptibility alleles that contribute to the expression of the disease. The probability is that a reduction of the incidence of GO will be achieved by influencing the environmental factors.

The association of interleukin-1alpha and interleukin-1beta polymorphisms with the risk of Graves' disease in a case-control study and meta-analysis

The proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-1 family has a central role in mediating inflammation and joint destruction in Graves' disease (GD). A number of studies, investigating rs1800587 (IL-1alpha, T-889 C) and rs16944 (IL-1beta, A-511 G) polymorphisms to test their possible association with GD and Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO), had inconsistent results. Our study aims to further evaluate the possible association of these two polymorphisms with GD and GO within the Han Chinese population using a case-control association study as well as a meta-analysis covering three previous studies from Taiwan, Iran, and Poland. Based on 760 Chinese GD patients, including 190 of GO cases among them, and 735 healthy control subjects, our data showed that the genotype or allele distributions of rs1800587 and rs16944 polymorphisms were significantly associated with GD (p = 0.003-0.049) and more so with GO (p = 0.001-0.021). The meta-analysis showed the risk-increasing effects for the TC and TT genotypes of rs1800587 in GD (odds ratio [OR] = 2.07, p = 0.03) and GO (OR = 3.22, p = 0.04), and a protective effect for the AA genotype of rs16944 in GD (OR = 0.70, p = 0.002) and GO (OR = 0.65, p = 0.02). The results confirmed that the rs1800587 (IL-alpha, T-889 C) and rs16944 (IL-1beta, A-511 G) polymorphisms may confer susceptibility to GD and GO in Asian population.