0b98c6d6-847d-42bb-899a-d01925b92066
title
Modest implication of  interleukin-6  promoter polymorphisms in longevity.
30edf259-3bea-4336-9570-bc9789e892a5
abstract
The multifunctional  interleukin-6  has been suggested to contribute to a chronic low-grade inflammatory status, thereby conferring susceptibility to age-related pathological conditions as well as functional decline and increased mortality. Several polymorphisms have been identified in the  interleukin-6  promoter, but investigation of the effect of these on  interleukin-6  levels and disease susceptibility have led to contradictory results. This study investigates the significance of the three single-point polymorphisms ( -597G/A ,  -572G/C  and  -174G/C ) and the AT-stretch polymorphism ( -373(A)n(T)m ) in ageing, by comparison of the frequency of each single polymorphism separately as well as the entire promoter haplotype in a total of 1710 Danish subjects ranging in age from 47 to 100 years. We found a modest, but significant, increase in the frequency of  interleukin-6   -174GG  homozygotes with age suggesting that this genotype is advantageous for longevity.