Lack of Association between the IL6R Gene Asp358Ala Variant (rs2228145), IL-6 Plasma Levels, and Treatment Resistance in Chilean Schizophrenic Patients Treated with Clozapine. (25th June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cavieres, Alvaro; Campos-Estrada, Carolina; Moya, Yanneth; Maldonado, Rocío; González-Vargas, René; Bustamante, María Leonor; Moya, Pablo R.
• Other Names: Schnack Hugo Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Schizophrenia research and treatment. Volume 2019(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-06-25
• Subjects: Schizophrenia -- Periodicals; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenia; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Periodicals; 616.898
• DOI: 10.1155/2019/5601249
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2090-2085

Abstract

Abstract : Alterations in neuroinflammatory processes have been suggested to contribute to the development of Schizophrenia (SZ); one component of the inflammatory system that has been linked to this disorder is interleukin-6 (IL-6). The minor allele of rs2228145, a functional polymorphism in the IL-6 receptor gene, has been associated to elevated IL-6 plasma levels and increased inflammatory activity, making it an interesting candidate to study as a possible factor underlying clinical heterogeneity in SZ. We studied a sample of 100 patients undergoing treatment with clozapine. Their symptoms were quantified by Brief Psychotic Rating Scale; those with the lowest scores ("remitted") were compared with the highest ("clozapine treatment resistant"). We determined allelic frequencies for rs2228145 and IL-6 plasma levels. Our results do not support a role of IL-6 in response to treatment with clozapine. Further studies accounting for potential confounding factors are necessary.