Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a major anti-inflammatory cytokine that plays a crucial role in the regulation of the immune system. Allelic polymorphisms in the IL-10 gene promoter may contribute to the regulation of autoantibody production. To examine the association between both individuals IL-10 single nucleotide polymorphisms and the production of autoantibodies and the radiographic progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a total of 144 RA patients were recruited into the study. We found significant differences in genotype distribution of the -1082G/A polymorphism between IgG, IgA, and IgM rheumatoid factor(RF)-positive/negative RA patients. We also found significant differences in allelic frequencies of the -3575T/A, -819C/T, and -592A/C polymorphisms between anticyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP)-positive/negative RA patients. The haplotype TGAATA was found to be less frequent within anti-CCP-positive RA patients. Results obtained in this study provide evidence of an association between polymorphisms in IL-10 gene promoter and the production of autoantibodies in RA patients.

Rheumatology Division St Anne's University Hospital Brno Faculty of Medicine Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic