The interleukin-6 promoter (-597/-572/-174)genotype does not affect interleukin-6 production in hemodialysis patients.

Kidney transplant recipients with the interleukin-6 (IL-6) GGG/GGG promoter (-597/-572/-174)genotype were shown to have a better long-term outcome. Further, the same (-597/-572/-174)genotype was found to be associated with less IL-6 production in healthy control subjects. To verify this observation in potential kidney transplant recipients, IL-6 production was analyzed in 85/142 hemodialysis patients. We could not confirm an impaired IL-6 secretion in carriers of the GGG/GGG (-597/-572/-174)genotype and propose a significantly lower IL-6 production in hemodialysis patients versus healthy control subjects to explain this. However, we suggest subsequent studies of IL-6 production in kidney allograft recipients to further elucidate the pathophysiological relevance of IL-6 for transplant outcome.