Interleukin-10 −1082 promoter polymorphism is associated with schizophrenia in a Han Chinese sib-pair study

The interleukin-10 (IL-10) gene has been identified as a susceptibility gene for schizophrenia in Caucasians. A previous case–control study conducted by our group revealed a weak association between polymorphism, −592C/A, of the IL-10 gene promoter and schizophrenia. Our present study was aimed at confirming the association of the IL-10 promoter with schizophrenia using 197 Han Chinese sib-pair families. A family-based association test (FBAT) and haplotype analysis was undertaken using the FBAT v1.5.5. The global TDT was significant for a different polymorphism, −1082G/A (χ2 = 13.16, P = 0.000285) and that the allele −1082G was preferentially transmitted to schizophrenia-affected children. Furthermore, haplotype TDT analysis showed that haplotype "GCC" was significantly associated with the disease (χ2 = 8.1, P = 0.00443). Our results also indicate that the IL-10 gene may play a significant role in the etiology of schizophrenia among Han Chinese.