Interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 gene polymorphisms and recurrent pregnancy loss in Romanian population

BACKGROUND Approximately 10-14% of the clinically acknowledged pregnancies end with spontaneous abortion at Caucasian population. Possible immunologic causes of recurrent miscarriages have been extensively researched. The change in the cytokines balance synthesis in favor of those synthesized by Th2 cells with an increase of interleukin 6 (IL6) and interleukin10 (IL10) secretion is considered essential for maintaining a normal pregnancy. OBJECTIVE The study objective was to establish an association between interleukin 6 and 10 genes polymorphisms and etiology of recurrent pregnancy loss. MATERIALS AND METHODS The genetic polymorphism of interleukin 6 and 10 genes were studied by PCR-RFLP in the DNA of 69 women with recurrent pregnancy loss and 64 control women with at least one successful pregnancy and without known pregnancy loss. Statistical analysis was performed using Fisher test and differences were considered statistically significant with a p<0.05. RESULTS Our results demonstrated a role for -819 C/T but not for -592 C/A IL10, -1082 A/G IL10 and -174G/C IL6 polymorphisms in idiopathic recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) in Romanian population. Frequency of genotype -592 CC/-819 CC was higher in the control group than in experimental group (p=0.005). In contrast, genotype -592 AC/-819 CT was more frequent in the experimental group (p=0.05). In this study we have not detected genotype -174 C/C in IL6 gene in patients with spontaneous abortions, nor in the control group. CONCLUSION This study demonstrated a possible association between IL-10 -819 C/T promoter polymorphism and idiopathic RSA among Romanian patients.