Effect of IL-1β and IL-1RN polymorphisms in carcinogenesis of the gastric mucosa in patients infected with Helicobacter pylori in Algeria

BACKGROUND Infection with Helicobacter pylori is considered a potential risk of developing gastric cancer in association with contributing host genetic factor. IL-1β and IL-1RN polymorphisms appear to maintain and promote Helicobacter pylori infection and to stimulate neoplastic growth of the gastric mucosa. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS In order to elucidate the effect of these polymorphisms in combination with gastric cancer in a population from northwestern Algeria, a case-control study was carried out on 79 patients infected with H. pylori with chronic atrophic gastritis and/or gastric carcinoma, and 32 subjects were recruited as case-control. IL-1β-31 bi-allelic and IL-1β-511 bi-allelic polymorphisms and IL-1RN penta-allelic were genotyped. RESULTS IL-1β-31C was associated with an increased risk of developing gastric carcinoma (OR=4.614 [1.43-14.81], p=0.01). However, IL-1RN2 heterozygous allele type was significantly associated with chronic atrophic gastritis (OR=4.2 [1.23-3.61], p=0.022). IL-1β-511T was associated with an increased risk of development of chronic atrophic gastritis (OR=4.286 [1.54-11.89], p=0.005). CONCLUSION IL-1β and IL-1RN polymorphisms associated with H. pylori infection contribute to the development of chronic atrophic gastritis and gastric carcinomas in an Algerian population. The alleles IL-1β-31C and IL-1RN were associated with an increased risk of developing gastric carcinoma, and IL-1β-511T with an increased risk of developing chronic atrophic gastritis with no significant association of developing gastric carcinoma.