IL-1B-511 Allele T and IL-1RN-L/L Play a Pathological Role in Helicobacter Pylori (H. Pylori) Disease Outcome in the African Population.

Background: Many of the pathogenic effects of Helicobacter pylori infection are related to chronic active inflammation, which is controlled and maintained by the complex interplay of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators. Pro-inflammatory genetic polymorphisms tend to increase the risk of development of gastric cancer. In Africa, the data are scarce regarding the effects of these polymorphisms on gastric pathology. The objective of this study is therefore to investigate the pro-inflammatory genetic polymorphisms and their role in H. pylori-related gastric disorders in a select African population.

Methods: This cross-sectional prospective study recruited six hundred and ninety six adult subjects with a history of uninvestigated dyspepsia. The H. pylori status was determined by tissue Giemsa staining, Rapid Urease Test (RUT), H. pylori stool antigen test (HpSAT), and PCR using the 16s-rRNA gene. The polymorphisms in IL-1B (511 C/T), TNF-A (_308 G/A) and IL-1RN were assessed by the PCR-restricted fragment length polymorphism (RFLP).

Results: H. pylori was significantly associated with gastric pathologies investigated (P = 0.0000). Heterozygous allele TC of IL-1 β -511 was significantly associated with H. pylori infection (p = 0.003815). Similarly, allele IL-1 RN*2/2 and allele IL-1 RN-L/L were associated with H. pylori infection (p = 0.0025 and p = 0.0203). Allele T of IL-1 β -511 and IL-1 RN-L/L are more frequent in H. pylori associated gastric pathologies in this series.

Conclusion: Allele T of IL-1 β -511 and long allele IL-1 RN-L/L play a role in H. pylori disease in this population.