Background: Anti-inflammatory cytokines play an important role in downregulation of inflammation and the prevention of neoplastic disorders. Genetic variations of anti-inflammatory cytokines are assumed to influence such responses. The aim of the present study was to clarify the association between the IL-10 polymorphism, one of the representative anti-inflammatory cytokines, and susceptibility to gastric cancer and peptic ulcer in Japan.
Methods: The IL-10-1082 (A/G)/-819 (T/C)/-592 (A/C) polymorphisms were assessed in Helicobacter pylori-positive patients with gastritis only (n = 162), gastric ulcers (n = 110), duodenal ulcers (n = 94), or gastric cancers (n = 105), and H. pylori-negative controls (n = 168) by allele specific primer-polymerase chain reaction methods.
Results: The carriage of IL-10-592 C (age and sex-adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 1.851, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.018-3.380) and IL-10-819 C (adjusted OR: 1.868, 95%CI: 1.023-3.411) allele were associated with an increased risk for gastric cancer development, not gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer. The IL-10-1082 polymorphism had no association with development of gastric cancer and peptic ulcers. The presence of the ATA/GCC haplotype of IL-10-1082/-819/-592 polymorphism significantly increased the risk of gastric cancer development (adjusted OR: 2.805, 95%CI: 1.258-6.254) compared with presence of the ATA/ATA haplotype.
Conclusions: The IL-10-1082/-819/-592 genotype status and haplotype were associated with an increased risk for gastric cancer development, not peptic ulcer, in Japan. The genotyping test of this anti-inflammatory cytokine would be useful for the detection of individuals with higher risk of gastric cancer development.