Relationship between Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in-174G/C and-634C/G Promoter Region of Interleukin-6 and Prostate Cancer

The association between the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in -174G/C and -634C/G of interleukin-6 (IL-6) promoter region and prostate cancer was examined in the population of Han people in Hubei region. TaqMan PCR was employed for the gene-typing of -174G/C and -634C/G in promoter region of IL-6 gene to compare the prostate cancer patients and normal controls in terms of genotype frequency, allele frequency and risk of prostate cancer. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for the detection of IL-6 concentration in peripheral blood of the patients with prostate cancer and the relationship between the IL-6 level and the genotype was studied. Our results showed that in all the subjects, the genotype of genetic locus -174G/C was found to be GG and no CG and CC were observed. There was a significant difference in gene frequency of GG, CG and CC of -634C/G and allele frequency of G and C between prostate cancer patients and normal controls (P<0.05) and the gene frequency of GG+CG increased with the clinical stages and pathological grades of prostate cancer. The IL-6 level in GG+CG group was significantly higher than that in CC group. It was concluded that no SNP in -174G/C IL-6 promoter region was found in the population of Han people in Hubei region. The SNP in -634C/G was, to some extent, associated with the development and progression of prostate cancer. The population with GG+CG genetype has higher risk for prostate cancer.