Interferon gamma and interleukin 10 polymorphisms in Chinese children with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis

Aim The aim of the study is to investigate the association of interferon gamma (IFN‐γ) and interleukin‐10 (IL‐10) gene single nucleotide polymorphisms with the susceptibility of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) in Chinese children without known family history of HLH. Procedure Forty children with HLH and 160 age‐ and gender‐matched healthy controls from Xuzhou Children's Hospital were enrolled in the study. Serum IFN‐γ and IL‐10 levels were measured by enzyme linked‐immunosorbent assay. Polymorphisms of the IFN‐γ gene at position +874 and +2109, and IL‐10 at position –1082 were analyzed by allele‐specific PCR. Result Median serum concentrations of IFN ‐γ and IL‐10 were significantly higher in children with HLH compared to healthy controls. The frequencies of IFN‐γ +874 T/A and T/T genotypes, as well as T allele, were significantly higher in the HLH group compared with those in the control group. The frequencies of IL‐10 ‐1082 G/A genotype and G allele were significantly increased in HLH patients compared with healthy controls. No significant difference was found in the distribution of IFN‐γ +2109G/A genotypes between children with HLH and controls. Conclusion This study presents preliminary evidence for the association between IFN +874 T/A, T/T, IL‐10 –1082 A/G genotypes, and HLH susceptibility in Chinese children with HLH.