Association between cytokine gene polymorphisms and tuberculosis in a Chinese population in Shanghai: a case–control study

BACKGROUND: Polymorphisms in cytokine genes are known to influence cytokine levels, which may influence susceptibility to tuberculosis (TB) infection and disease. Differences in cytokine expression probably determine whether TB progresses, resolves, or becomes latent. In particular, the balance between the Th1 and Th2 cytokine responses influences the expression of disease in individuals with pulmonary TB (PTB). We performed a case–control study of 120 patients diagnosed with PTB, 240 with latent TB infection (LTBI), and 480 healthy controls (HC), to explore the association between polymorphisms in cytokine genes and a predisposition to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and TB disease. RESULTS: A single-gene analysis showed a dominant association between the AA genotype or A allele at nucleotide −874 of the interferon γ (IFN-γ) gene and LTBI. The A allele at nucleotide −1082 of the interleukin 10 (IL-10) gene was significantly more common in PTB patients than in LTBI subjects. Moreover, the polymorphisms at IFN-γ −874 and IL10 − 1082 were associated with protein levels of IFN-γ and IL-10, respectively, in the PTB group. The genotype frequencies of other polymorphisms did not differ between the PTB patients, LTBI and HC subjects. Furthermore, combinations of polymorphisms with IFN-γ −874 were associated with LTBI, whereas combinations with IL10 − 1082 were more likely associated with PTB. CONCLUSIONS: There are positive associations between the IFN-γ −874 polymorphism and TB and between the IL10 − 1082 polymorphism and LTBI. Our data provide genetic evidence of the multiple disease hypothesis that many cytokine genes are involved in TB susceptibility.