OBJECTIVETo investigate whether three biallelic polymorphisms at the position -592, -819 and -1082 in the promoter region of the IL-10 gene were associated with the incidence of autoimmune liver disease.

METHODSThe IL-10 -592 and IL-10-1082 polymorphisms were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphisms analysis (PCR-RFLP), while polymerase chain reaction- sequence specific primer (PCR-SSP) assay was used to detect IL-10 -819 polymorphisms.

RESULTSAmong 54 Chinese patients with AIH or 77 Chinese patients with PBC versus healthy controls, the frequency of AA, GA genotypes at IL-10 gene promoter -1082 position was 87.0% or 83.1% versus 90.0%, 13.0% or 16.9% versus 10.0%, respectively (P > 0.05), the GG genotype in Chinese populations is absent; the frequency of CC, CT, TT genotypes at IL-10 gene promoter -819 position was 11.11% or 9.1% versus 8.1%, 44.4% or 53.3% versus 45.0%, 44.4% or 37.7% versus 46.9%, respectively (P > 0.05); the frequency of CC, CA, AA genotypes at IL-10 gene promoter -592 position was 4.9% or 14.3% versus 10.0%, 51.2% or 53.3% versus 51.9%, 43.9% or 32.5% versus 38.1%, respectively (P > 0.05). No alleles differed significantly in each groups.

CONCLUSIONThere were no association between IL-10 gene polymorphisms and autoimmune liver disease