Association of interferon gamma and interleukin 10 genes with tuberculosis in Hong Kong Chinese

Interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin 10 (IL-10) are believed to play opposing roles in host immunity against mycobacterial infection. IFN-gamma activates macrophages, while IL-10 downregulates the expression of T helper type 1 cytokines, MHC class II antigens and costimulatory molecules on macrophages. Associations of IFN-gamma - 179 (G/T), +874 (A/T), +875 miscrosatellite CA repeats and +4766 (C/T), and IL-10 - 1082 (A/G), - 819 (C/T) and - 592 (C/A) with tuberculosis ( TB) were investigated in 385 HIV-negative patients and 451 controls in a Hong Kong Chinese population. The frequency of a low IFN-gamma-producing +874 A/A genotype was significantly over-represented in the patient group ( P<0.001, OR = 3.79, 95% CI = 1.93 - 7.45). We identified 10 alleles in the IFN-gamma CA repeats and observed a significant difference in allele frequency distribution between patients and controls ( P<0.001). By grouping alleles into 12 and non-12 CA repeats, the non-12/non-12 genotype yielded a similar significant result ( P<0.001, OR = 4.56, 95% CI = 2.21 - 9.43) as observed in +874 A/A genotype. Weak associations of the IL-10 GCC/- genotype ( P = 0.04) and the low IFN-gamma-producing A/A genotype ( P = 0.06) with TB relapse/extrapulmonary cases were found. This study suggests the possible role of interferon gamma in TB susceptibility.