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    Br J Ophthalmol. 2008 Apr;92(4):537-40. Epub 2008 Feb 29.

    Interleukin-8 promoter polymorphism -251A/T is a risk factor for age-related macular degeneration.

    Goverdhan SV, Ennis S, Hannan SR, Madhusudhana KC, Cree AJ, Luff AJ, Lotery AJ.

    Clinical Neurosciences Division, Mailpoint 806, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK.

    Comment in:

    BACKGROUND/AIMS: To determine whether four expression-related cytokine polymorphisms are associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). METHODS: DNA from 478 cases with AMD and 555 normal controls was genotyped for the pro-inflammatory IL1beta -511C/T, IL6 -174C/G, IL8 -251A/T and anti-inflammatory IL10 -1082G/A cytokine polymorphisms using the 5' nuclease TaqMan(R) assay for allelic discrimination. Associations with AMD were analysed using allelic frequencies. RESULTS: The -251A allele of the IL8 promoter gene polymorphism was more prevalent in AMD patients than controls (p = 0.037, OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.01 to 1.44). Adjusting for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), current smoking and past smoking status did not alter the AMD association significantly (corrected p value = 0.043, OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.0 to 1.50). CONCLUSION: The pro-inflammatory homozygous IL8 -251AA genotype is an important risk factor for AMD. This may have implications for future therapy with biological agents that could target this cytokine.

    PMID: 18310311 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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