Study of Interleukin-18 Gene Polymorphism and Risk Factors in Preschool Asthmatic Children in Iraq

Document Type : New and original researches in the field of Microbiology.

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Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Kufa

Abstract

Background: Bronchial asthma is a chronic respiratory condition characterized by airway inflammation and episodes of wheezing and breathlessness. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) impacts pediatric asthma, with early infections linked to a higher asthma risk later. The polymorphism in single nucleotide of interleukin -18 may affect the production and function of this interleukin. Among these, interleukin -18 (IL18) . Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) 137 C>G is common studies because of its role involvement in the development of allergic disease. Objectives: The aim was to investigate the relationship between the IL-18-137 C/G polymorphism and the risk of pediatric asthma in Iraqi children, compares serum IgE levels between asthmatic and healthy controls, and assesses the role of RSV in asthma development and exacerbation. Methodology: Between December of 2023 and march of 2024, a case-control study was carried out in Dhi-Qar hospitals on children with asthma who were between the ages of six months and six years. There were 85 children with asthma and 85 healthy controls in the sample. Serological  and molecular analyses utilized Touchdown PCR to identify IL-18 (137 C/G) gene polymorphism, followed by sequencing and ELISA for measuring serum IL-18 and IgE levels at the hospitals and Marsh Research Center, University of Dhi-Qar. Results. Children with asthma exhibited elevated IL-18 and IgE levels compared to healthy controls. The IL-18 137 C>G polymorphism showed a trend towards association with asthma, with the GG genotype being more frequent in cases (OR 1.44, 95% CI 0.62-3.36, p=0.514). However, this association did not reach statistical significance. Similarly, the CC genotype was less common in cases (OR 0.36, 95% CI 0.08-1.73, p=0.228), and the G allele frequency was slightly higher in the asthma group (OR 1.55, 95% CI 0.78-3.07, p=0.277), but these differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Children with asthma showed significantly higher levels of IL-18 and IgE compared to healthy controls, the association between the IL-18 137 C>G polymorphism and asthma risk in this study was not statistically significant.

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