Role of IL-10 promoter polymorphisms in the development of severe aorto-iliac occlusive disease.

Aortic severe occlusive disease (ASO) is a peripheral manifestation of atherosclerosis with an inflammatory component. Interleukin (IL)-10 is an anti-inflammatory cytokine that plays a key role in the development of atherosclerosis, promoting the stability of the atherosclerotic plaque. Several polymorphisms within the 5' region of the IL-10 gene have been related to altered transcriptional activity and protein levels. We aimed at studying two microsatellites, IL-10R and IL-10G, at -4 and -1.2 Kb, and three single nucleotide polymorphisms at positions -1082A/G, -819C/T and -592C/A in a collection of 94 ASO patients and 519 ethnically matched controls. Our results show that the IL-10 proximal promoter haplotype IL-10G*11/ -1082G/ -819C/ -592C is more frequent in ASO patients than in controls (28.7% vs 16% p = 0.003; OR = 2.12). Therefore, our data suggest a role of the IL-10 gene on ASO susceptibility.