Polymorphisms of IL-1beta, IL-1Ra, and TNF-alpha genes: a nested case-control study of their association with risk for stroke.

Certain alleles of cytokine genes interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) are correlated with increased production of the proteins. The aim of this study was to investigate polymorphisms of these genes and their possible correlation with the development of stroke. This matched case-control study was nested within the population-based Västerbotten Intervention Program (VIP) cohort and the Northern Sweden World Health Organization MONICA (Multinational Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Diseases) cohort, based on individuals who were free from cardiovascular events when the cohorts were established.

Activation of the immune system and inflammatory activity in relation to markers of atherothrombotic disease and atherosclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To measure markers of atherogenesis and thrombogenesis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and in matched controls, and to relate these variables to markers of inflammation and endothelial activation, and to the presence of atherosclerosis.

Methods: Thirty-nine patients with RA with disease onset between 1974 and 1978, who were younger than 65 years at the present study in 1997, were investigated together with 39 age and sex matched controls. IgG, IgA, and IgM antibodies against oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL ab), malondialdehyde LDL (MDA-LDL ab) and cardiolipin (aCL) were measured by ELISA, circulating immune complexes (CIC) were isolated by precipitation, and homocysteine was measured with HPLC.

Susceptibility for and clinical manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis are associated with polymorphisms of the TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-1Ra genes.

Objective: To analyze the association of genetic polymorphisms of pro-inflammatory cytokines with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in comparison with healthy controls from Northern Sweden and the potential contribution of these genetic variants for disease severity and development of cardiovascular complications.

Methods: Polymerase chain reaction amplification was used for analysis of TaqI restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta), variable tandem repeat polymorphism of IL-I receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) gene and NcoI RFLP at position -308 of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) gene. One hundred and fifty-four patients with RA, 42 men and 112 women, were consecutively recruited into the study through the Department of Rheumatology.