The effect of the Interleukin-6-174G > C promoter gene polymorphism on endothelial function in healthy volunteers.

Aims: Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory condition, manifest in its early stages by endothelial dysfunction. Interleukin-6 (IL6) plays a key role in driving this process through stimulation of acute phase protein synthesis. We have examined the effect of the IL6 gene -174G > C promoter polymorphism on endothelial function in a group of healthy subjects.