Association of an interleukin-1beta gene polymorphism at position -511 with Alzheimer's disease.

Inflammation is thought to promote neuronal cell death in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The proinflammatory interleukin-1 is a main component in inflammatory pathways and is overexpressed in the brain of AD patients. Investigation of different polymorphisms in the interleukin-1 genes (IL-1alpha -889, IL-1beta -511, IL-1beta +3953) revealed associations between specific alleles and AD in that they increased the risk or modified the age at onset of AD.