Association of IL-10 and IL-10 Receptor Gene Polymorphisms and Graft-Versus-Host Disease Following Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

Polymorphisms in cytokine genes can influence immune responses and may affect the outcome of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). We have shown that the IL-10/-592*A allele of the recipient is a marker for less severe acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and a lower risk of non-relapse mortality (NRM) after HCT from an HLA-identical sibling (N Engl J Med, 2003). To further test the hypothesis that IL-10 pathway is important in the intensity of acute GVHD, we undertook a study of variation in the IL-10 receptor β gene. A single nucleotide polymorphism (A/G) at cDNA position 238 of the IL-10 receptor β gene (IL-10RB/1304) was genotyped in 953 HCT recipients and their HLA-identical sibling donors. IL-10/-592 and IL-10RB alleles and genotypes were tested for association with GVHD by multivariable analysis. The IL-10/-592*A allele of the recipient and IL-10RB/238*G allele of the donor were significantly associated with a lower risk of acute grades III-IV GVHD (trend p value 0.0008 and 0.02, respectively). None of the 16 cases with a patient IL-10 A/A genotype and donor IL-10RB G/G genotype developed grades III-IV acute GVHD (HR = 0.0 and p value = 0.007), compared to pairs with a patient IL-10 C/C genotype and donor IL-10RB A/A genotype. The hazard ratios were 0.4–0.6 among pairs with a patient IL-10 A/A genotype and donor IL-10RB A/G or A/A genotype and among pairs with a patient IL-10 A/C genotype and donor IL-10RB G/G or A/G genotype. The effect of donor IL-10RB genotype on GVHD was observed only among pairs with a patient IL-10 A/C or A/A genotype (trend p value = 0.005 and 0.06 respectively), but not among pairs with a patient IL-10 C/C genotype (trend p value = 0.82). These data suggest an interaction in the effect of the patient IL-10/-592 and donor IL-10RB/1304 genotypes on GVHD, further supporting the hypothesis that the IL-10 pathway plays an important role in controlling the severity of acute GVHD.