Serum concentrations of IL-16 and its genetic polymorphism rs4778889 affect the susceptibility and severity of endometriosis in Nigerian women

• Published in: BMC women's health Vol. 23; no. 1; p. 253
• Main Authors: Babah, Ochuwa Adiketu, Ojewunmi, Oyesola Oyewole, Onwuamah, Chika Kingsley, Udenze, Ifeoma Christiana, Osuntoki, Akinniyi Adediran, Afolabi, Bosede Bukola
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 11-05-2023; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Abdomen; Analysis; Ascites; Care and treatment; Case-Control Studies; Chronic Pain - complications; Crohns disease; Cytokines; Development and progression; Disease susceptibility; Endometriosis; Endometriosis - complications; Endometriosis - genetics; Female; Genes; Genetic aspects; Genetic polymorphism; Genetic polymorphisms; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Gynecology; Humans; Interleukin-16; Interleukin-16 - genetics; Interleukin-6; Interleukin-6 - genetics; Interleukins; Laparoscopy; Laparotomy; Pain; Pelvic Pain - complications; Pelvic Pain - genetics; Polymorphism; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Sample size; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Womens health; Nigeria; United States > US; Africa; Pain; Genes; Genetic polymorphism; Endometriosis; Interleukin-16; Ascites; Nigeria; Interleukin-6
• ISSN: 1472-6874; 1472-6874
• DOI: 10.1186/s12905-023-02362-8

Endometriosis is the presence of active ectopic endometrial glands and stroma at other sites outside the uterine cavity. It is a common cause of chronic pelvic pain which is sometimes debilitating, and inflammation is one of the known triggers of endometriosis. Interleukins 6 and 16 (IL-6 and IL-16) are proinflammatory cytokines which play essential roles in inflammatory diseases. We therefore investigated the relationship between genetic polymorphisms of interleukins 6 and 16, and the development of endometriosis in Nigerian women.
One hundred and thirty (130) consenting women were consecutively enrolled, sixty-five (65) of whom had endometriosis and 65 age-matched women as reference group, surgically confirmed as not having endometriosis. Spectrophotometric determination of serum concentrations of Interleukins 6 and 16 was carried out and the genotyping of IL-6 (rs1800795) and IL-16 (rs4778889, rs11556218, rs4072111) genes were performed using TaqMan assays.
Serum IL-16 concentration was significantly higher in women with severe chronic pelvic pain compared to those with mild pain (p = 0.023). The C allele of rs4778889 was associated with endometriosis (OR: 1.80, 95% CI: 1.08 - 3.02, p = 0.024).
Serum IL-16 and IL-16 rs4778889 may be important markers for endometriosis in Nigerian, and by extension, African women. Multicentre African studies would clarify this.