Evaluation of the relationship between IL-12, IL-13 and TNF-α gene polymorphisms with the susceptibility to brucellosis: a case control study

BACKGROUND: The cytokine gene polymorphism is important for the genetic susceptibility of infectious diseases. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between TNF-α, IL-12, and IL-13 gene polymorphisms and predisposition to brucellosis. METHODS: In this study, 107 patients with brucellosis and 107 healthy individuals were evaluated. The SNPs of TNF-α)- 238 G/A) and IL-12 (+ 1188 A/C) were done by amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) and IL-13 genotyping at positions − 1512 (A/C) and − 1112 (C/T) were analysis by restriction fragment length polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction (RFLP-PCR) methods. IL-12, IL-13 and TNF-α serum levels were measured by a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: IL-13 (−1512A/C) was associated with Brucellosis risk in dominant model (OR (95% CI) = 2.17 (1.02–4.62)), P-value = 0.041. However, there was no difference in allele and genotype frequencies of TNF-α)- 238 G/A), IL-12 (+ 1188 A/C) and IL-13 [− 1512 (A/C) and − 1112 (C/T)] between patients and controls. Serum levels of IL-12 and TNF-α were significantly more frequent in the patients than in the control groups. CONCLUSIONS: The IL-13 gene polymorphism can be used as a biomarker for detecting susceptibility to Brucella disease.