The relationship of il-6 (174 g/c) gene polymorphism of mothers and their infants with neonatal and perinatal morbidity

Cytokines are intracellular proteins that play a role in cellular immune functions in respect of innate and adaptive immunity. Cytokines act on lymphocyte development and differentiation, destruction of antigens and develeopment of hemopoietic cells. Interleukin 6 (IL-6), is a proinflamatory cytokine that is released by T- helper 2 cells andtakes place on antibody-related destruction of antigen. The diversities among evolution and progression of preterm births necessitate questioning the genetic differences of cytokines playing role on this process. In this study, the relation of IL-6 –174 G/C gene polymorphism with neonatal and perinatal morbidity was searched. The study group involved 183 babies and 164 mother totally, 83 of which are preterm babies followed in newborn intensive care unit and 100 healthy term infants. In mother genotyping, the ratios of GG and C allel carrying were found as %62.8 (n=103) and %37.2 (n=61) recpectively, while the ratios were %76.5 ( n=49) and %23.5 ( n=15) in genotyping of mothers giving preterm birth, %81.9 (n=68) and %18.1 (n=15) in genotyping of babies who were born as preterm, and finally %54 (n=54) and %46 (n=46) in genotyping of babies who were born as term, respectively. As a result among this study group, the role of IL-6 –174 G/C gene polymorphism on neonatal and perinatal problems could not be found however, C allel carrying was found significantly low in mothers giving preterm birth and in babies who were born as preterm.