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Interleukin 12 (IL-12) has a key function in promoting Th1 immune response in the gastrointestinal mucosa. Although cytokine gene polymorphisms are associated with increased risk of gastric cancer (GC), studies on different geographic regions and ethnic groups are not able to draw a consistent result. The current case-control study aims to find out an association between a functional IL-12B rs3212227 polymorphism and the susceptibility and clinical features of the study groups, which are GC, Helicobacter pylori-infected and H. pylori-uninfected intestinal metaplasia (IM). In this study, IL-12B rs3212227 polymorphism was genotyped in 35 GC cases, 25 H. pylori-infected IM patients, 25 H. pylori-uninfected IM patients, and 25 control subjects. PCR-RFLP analysis was performed to find out and compare the polymorphism profiles of case biopsies. There was statistical significance in genotype distributions and allelic frequencies in GC patients with proximal arrest in stomach (p=0.042). The rs3212227 genotypes and allelic frequencies were not correlated with any of the study groups (p>0.05). Other clinical features examined in the GC patients were also not correlated with the rs3212227 genotypes and allelic frequencies (p>0.05). Current findings suggest that IL-12B rs3212227 polymorphism may play a role in GC development.

BackgroundInterleukin-12 (IL-12) is considered to be a risk factor for cancer; however, its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unknown. This study aimed to explore the impacts of the IL-12 rs3212227 and rs568408 gene polymorphisms on HCC.MethodsWe searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Chinese Knowledge Infrastructure databases for studies on the associations between HCC and IL-12 rs568408 and rs3212227 polymorphisms published prior to 1 May 2020. The effects of the polymorphisms on HCC susceptibility were presented as odds ratios (ORs) and associated 95% confidence intervals.ResultsSeven studies were ultimately included, including 2375 cases and 3445 controls. The rs3212227 polymorphism was significantly associated with the risk of HCC in both the dominant model (CC+AC vs. AA, OR=1.22) and the allele model (C vs. A, OR=1.12). Combined analysis of rs568408 yielded a significant relative risk for HCC in the dominant (AA+AG vs. GG, OR=1.13), recessive (AA vs. AG+GG, OR=1.72), allele (A vs. G, OR=1.29), heterozygote (AG vs. GG, OR=1.27), and homozygote models (AA vs. GG, OR 1.17).ConclusionThe IL-12 rs3212227 and rs568408 gene polymorphisms are associated with an increased risk of HCC.