Association of interleukin-1 gene polymorphisms with Alzheimer's disease

Interleukin-l (IL-1) is markedly overexpressed in Alzheimer's disease. We f ound the IL-IA 2,2 genotype in 12.9% of 232 neuropathologicaly confirmed Al zheimer's disease patients and 6.6% of 167 controls from four centers in th e United Kingdom and United States (odds ratio, 3.0; controlled for age and for ApoE (apolipoprotein El genotype). Homozygosity for both allele 2 of I L-IA and allele 2 of IL-IB conferred even greater risk (odds ratio, 10.8). IL-1 genotypes may confer risk for Alzheimer's disease through IL-1 overexp ression and IL-1-driven neurodegenerative cascades.