Interleukin 6 SNP Regulates Radiological and Inflammatory Activity in Multiple Sclerosis.

The clinical course of multiple sclerosis (MS) is critically influenced by the expression of different pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) represents a major inflammatory molecule previously associated with exacerbated disease activity in relapsing remitting MS (RR-MS); however, the role of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the IL-6 gene has not been fully elucidated in MS. We explored in a cohort of 171 RR-MS patients, at the time of diagnosis, the associations between four IL-6 SNPs (, , and ), CSF inflammation, and clinical presentation. Using principal component analysis and logistic regression analysis we identified an association between , radiological activity, and a set of cytokines, including the IL-1, IL-9, IL-10, and IL-13. No significant associations were found between other SNPs and clinical or inflammatory parameters. The association between the polymorphism and subclinical neuroinflammatory activity suggests that interindividual differences in the IL-6 gene might influence the immune activation profile in MS.