Interleukin-10 high producer allele and ultrasound-defined periventricular white matter abnormalities in preterm infants:: A preliminary study

Objectives: Inflammation plays a role in prematurity, in neonatal disorders of the brain, lung, eye, bowel, and in developmental disability among preterm infants. We initiated a pilot study in preterm children to determine the prevalence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the infection/inflammation-associated genes for interleukin (IL)-10 (-1082 G/A), IL-1 beta (+3953 C/T), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha (-308 G/A) and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) (Asp299Gly) and whether these SNPs affect the risk for neonatal disorders. Study Design: We genotyped 73 children ! 2 years of age whose gestational age at birth was < 32 weeks, and explored the associations between genotypes and neonatal disorders and developmental status at age 2 + years. Results: Infants homozygous for the high IL-10 producer -1082 G-allele (n = 15) were significantly less likely to develop ultrasound-defined periventricular echodensities. A non-significant, but prominent, risk reduction for bronchopulmonary dysplasia, high-grade retinopathy, cerebral palsy, and developmental delay at age 2 + years was present. Polymorphisms in the IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha, and TLR-4 genes were too infrequent in our pilot sample to allow for reasonable analysis. Conclusion: Infants homozygous for the IL-10 high producer -1082 G allele might be at reduced risk for prematurity-associated disorders.