Genetic variants of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-4 receptor α-chain, IL-6 and IL-10 genes are not risk factors for sepsis in low-birth-weight infants

The amount of inflammatory cytokines is a major determinant for the development of sepsis in very-low-birthweight (VLBW) neonates. We investigated whether variants of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-4 receptor a-chain, IL-6 and IL-10 genes, associated with altered cytokine production, might influence the risk and complications of sepsis in VLBW infants. We determined the presence of these genetic variants in dried blood samples of 33 septic, 35 infected and 35 healthy VLBW neonates by PCR and RFLP methods and analyzed their association with the risk and complications of sepsis. The frequencies of genetic variants did not differ in uninfected and in infected infants with or without sepsis. Moreover, none of the studied complications was associated with carrier state of any of genetic variants. Four of the 5 septic neonates with disseminated intravascular coagulation, however, carried simultaneously the variants of IL-1beta and IL-10 genes. We concluded that these genetic polymorphisms do not influence the risk and course of sepsis in VLBW neonates. Copyright (C) 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel.