Journal of Blood Disorders & Transfusion

Abstract

Interleukin-4 Intron 3 VNTR Polymorphism Gene in Leukemic Patients

Abeer Ahmed, Ream Elzain Abdelgadir, Abdel Rahim Mahmoud Muddathir, Elshibli Mohamed Elshibli and Imad Fadl Elmula

Background: Leukemia is a group of chronic malignant disorders of White blood cells and its precursor. Interleukin-4 (IL-4) is inflammatory cytokine that determines the activation and differentiation of B-cells, mast cells, erythroid progenitors. Several studies have investigated the association between IL-4 intron 3 variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism and cancer risk in humans; however, this association is not investigated among patients with leukemia.

Material and Methods: The present study aimed to investigate genotype and allele frequencies of IL-4 gene intron 3(VNTR) polymorphism in patients with leukemia compared to healthy control. The study included 231 patients with leukemia and 163 healthy controls. Genomic DNA was isolated from 3 ml of anticoagulated venous blood samples by modified salting out method. IL-4 intron 3 VNTR polymorphism determined by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with specific primers. The data were analysed using SPSS software program version 21. P value, Odds ratio (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to estimate the strength of the association.

Results: The allele frequency was showed in 25.9% (60/231) leukemic patients while 74.1% (171/231) showed absence of allele compared with the presence of allele in all control group with significance differences of P value=0.00 and risk factor of 4.617 times for leukemia. The frequencies of P1P1, P2P2, and P1P2 genotypes of intron 3 VNTR polymorphism in leukemic patients were significantly different from control group P value=0.00.The result showed, P1P1 and P1P2 allele were highly risk for developing leukemia than P2P2 (OR: P1P1 1.24, 95% CI: 0.675-2.279; OR P1P2: 1.24, 95% CI: 0.568-2.7; OR P2P2:0.72, 95% CI: 0.398-1.3).

Conclusion: IL-4 intron 3 VNTR polymorphism could influences in the risk of leukemia; this could be used as early prognostic marker in the course of the disease.