1. ¹Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Jockey Club Clinical Research Centre, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong SAR
2. ²Department of Health, Tuberculosis and Chest Service, Hong Kong SAR

Correspondence: Dr Yu Lung Lau, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China. E-mail: lauylung@hkucc.hku.hk

Received 28 September 2004; Revised 8 December 2004; Accepted 9 December 2004; Published online 7 April 2005.

Abstract

Interferon gamma (IFN-) and interleukin 10 (IL-10) are believed to play opposing roles in host immunity against mycobacterial infection. IFN- activates macrophages, while IL-10 downregulates the expression of T helper type 1 cytokines, MHC class II antigens and costimulatory molecules on macrophages. Associations of IFN- -179 (G/T), +874 (A/T), +875 miscrosatellite CA repeats and +4766 (C/T), and IL-10 -1082 (A/G), -819 (C/T) and -592 (C/A) with tuberculosis (TB) were investigated in 385 HIV-negative patients and 451 controls in a Hong Kong Chinese population. The frequency of a low IFN--producing +874 A/A genotype was significantly over-represented in the patient group (P<0.001, OR=3.79, 95% CI=1.93–7.45). We identified 10 alleles in the IFN- CA repeats and observed a significant difference in allele frequency distribution between patients and controls (P<0.001). By grouping alleles into 12 and non-12 CA repeats, the non-12/non-12 genotype yielded a similar significant result (P<0.001, OR=4.56, 95% CI=2.21–9.43) as observed in +874 A/A genotype. Weak associations of the IL-10 GCC/- genotype (P=0.04) and the low IFN--producing A/A genotype (P=0.06) with TB relapse/extrapulmonary cases were found. This study suggests the possible role of interferon gamma in TB susceptibility.