J Korean Soc Endocrinol.  1999 Dec;14(4):698-705.

Polymorphisms of the Interleukin - 6 Gene and Bone Mineral Density at Postmenopause in Korean Women

• Yoon SY
• Lim SK
• Li SZ
• Song YD
• Lee HC
• Kim KR
• Huh KB

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is one of the candidate cytokines to play an important role in bone loss followed by estrogen deficiency. Recently, the IL-6 VNTR (various number tandem repeats) genotype was reported to be associated with bone mineral density, raising the possibility that genotyping at this site might be of value in identifying women who are at risk for postmenopausal osteoporosis. To evaluate whether allelic variants in the gene encoding the polymorphism of VNTR located at the 3 flank of the IL-6 gene in Koreans were also the same as those of Caucasian, we analyzed the distribution pattern of the polymerase chain reaction product of the IL-6 gene.
METHODS
The IL-6 VNTR were examined in 134 postmenopausal Korean women. Bone mineral densities were measured by DEXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, Lunar Radiation, Madison, WI).
RESULTS
The IL-6 VNTR polymorphism of Koreans was different from that of Caucasian, and four genotypes (KaKb, KbKb, KbKc and KbKd) were identified. The genotypes KaKb and KbKd were found only in one individual each and most Koreans had KbKb or KbKc genotypes. The overall prevalences of KbKb and KbKc genotypes were 76.9% Rlld 21.6%, respectively, and the distribution patterns of the genotypes were not different among normal, osteopenic and osteoporotic groups. The values of bone mineral density at the lumbar spine and femoral neck were not different between the frequent genotypes of KbKb and KbKc. Furthermore, the levels of alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin and urinary deoxypyridinoline/creatinine were also not different between the two genotypes.
CONCLUSION
There are ethnic differences in IL-6 VNTR polymorphism, and IL-6 VNTR polymorphism may not be associated with postmenopausal osteoporosis in Korean women. Our data suggest that the analysis of IL-6 VNTR polymorphism may not be helpful in detecting patients at risk of developing osteoporosis.

MeSH Terms

Absorptiometry, Photon
Alkaline Phosphatase
Bone Density*
Cytokines
Estrogens
Female
Femur Neck
Genotype
Humans
Interleukin-6
Interleukins*
Osteocalcin
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Postmenopause*
Prevalence
Spine
Alkaline Phosphatase
Cytokines
Estrogens
Interleukin-6
Interleukins
Osteocalcin