Interleukin-10−1082 GG polymorphism influences the occurrence and the clinical characteristics of hepatitis C virus infection

Background/Aims In this study, we determined the genotypic and allelic frequencies of the Interleukin (IL)-10−1082G/A IL-10−592A/C, and IL-10−819C/T polymorphisms, and their association with the risk to develop B cell Non Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) in hepatitis virus C (HCV) carriers. Results Genetic polymorphisms in the IL-10 gene promoter were studied in 250 consecutive patients with B-cell NHL with no clinical and/or laboratory findings of cryoglobulinemia, 142 NHL/HCV− and 108 NHL/HCV+ with chronic hepatitis (CH), 120 consecutive subjects with HCV-related CH, and 110 age, sex-matched healthy blood donors. The frequency of the IL-10−1082GG genotype vs remaining genotypes (IL-10−1082GA/AA) was higher in NHL/HCV+ patients than HCV-related CH patients (P = 0.0002, OR = 2.89, CI: 1.62–5.15) and in NHL/HCV+ than NHL/HCV− patients (P = 0.0001, OR = 2.99, CI: 1.72–5.19). Moreover, the IL-10−1082GG genotype was more prevalent in indolent NHL/HCV+ cases than aggressive NHL/HCV+ (P = 0.0004, OR = 4.97, CI: 2.10–11.79). Finally, we confirmed that IL-10−1082GG genotype is associated with higher IL-10 production compared to AA homozygous (P = 0.037). Conclusions The high IL-10 production, due to IL-10−1082GG genotype, influences the clinical expression of the HCV infection by increasing susceptibility to develop NHL and might contribute to the indolent form of the disease.