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Nicotine & Tobacco Research Advance Access originally published online on October 13, 2009
Nicotine & Tobacco Research 2009 11(11):1347-1353; doi:10.1093/ntr/ntp144
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Interaction between smoking and the interleukin-6 gene affects systemic levels of inflammatory biomarkers

Jordi Sunyer, F. Forastiere, J. Pekkanen, E. Plana, M. Kolz, R. Pistelli, B. Jacquemin, I. Brüske-Hohlfeld, Ch. Pitsavos, T. Bellander, W. Koenig, A. Peters and on behalf of the AIRGENE Study Group

Jordi Sunyer, M.D., Ph.D., Centre for Environmental Epidemiological Research, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Municipal Institute of Medical Research/Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona; and CIBERESP, Spain
F. Forastiere, M.D., Ph.D., Local Health Authority, Rome, Italy
J. Pekkanen, M.D., Ph.D., National Public Health Institute (KTL), Kuopio/Helsinki, Finland
E. Plana, M.Sc., Centre for Environmental Epidemiological Research, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Municipal Institute of Medical Research/Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona; and CIBERESP, Spain
M. Kolz, M.P.H., GSF-National Research Centre for Environment and Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Neuherberg, Germany
R. Pistelli, M.D., Ph.D., Catholic University, Rome, Italy
B. Jacquemin, M.D., Ph.D., Centre for Environmental Epidemiological Research, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
I. Brüske-Hohlfeld, M.D., GSF-National Research Centre for Environment and Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Neuherberg, Germany
Ch. Pitsavos, M.D., Department of Cardiology, Ippokration Hospital, University Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece
T. Bellander, M.D., Ph.D., Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
W. Koenig, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Internal Medicine II – Cardiology, University of Ulm Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
A. Peters, Ph.D., GSF-National Research Centre for Environment and Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Neuherberg, Germany

Corresponding Author: Jordi Sunyer, M.D., Ph.D., Centre for Environmental Epidemiological Research, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain. Telephone: +34-93-316-04-00; Fax: +34-93-316-05-75; E-mail: jsunyer{at}imim.es


  Abstract

Background: Smoking is associated with a systemic inflammatory response. However, the role of genetic predisposition is not well known. We assessed whether circulatory acute phase reactants were associated with smoking and whether or not the association was modified by the major cytokine gene of the acute phase reaction, interleukin-6 (IL-6).

Methods: In total, 1,003 postmyocardial infarction patients were recruited in six European cities and six repeated clinical examinations performed. C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and fibrinogen levels were assayed at 5,659 subject visits. Genotyping of single nucleotide polymorphisms was performed in the IL-6 gene.

Results: Cumulative smoking (pack-years) and time since smoking cessation were strongly associated with blood levels of all three inflammatory markers. Among subjects without any respiratory disorder, these associations remained statistically significant for CRP and IL-6. A polymorphism in the IL-6 gene (rs2069840) showed an interaction with smoking on CRP (p < .001) and IL-6 (p = .049) peripheral levels.

Conclusions: These results indicate a potential role of the IL-6 gene in the inflammatory response associated with smoking and suggest rs2069840 polymorphism deserves attention.

Received: May 11, 2009; Accepted: July 29, 2009
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