Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a proinflammatory cytokine that plays a range of important roles such as in inflammation, immune response, and cell growth regulation. Here, we aimed to assess the potential influence of the IL-6 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs1800796 on the concentration/dose (C/D) ratios of tacrolimus and donor liver function in Chinese liver transplant patients. A total of 331 liver transplant patients were included in this study. The C/D ratios and the ALT, AST, T-BIL, ALP, and GGT levels were analyzed at different time points in patients with and without the IL-6 rs1800796 SNP. The IL-6 rs1800796 polymorphism in recipients was found to be correlated with the C/D ratios of tacrolimus at months 2 to month 6 after transplantation. Also, the rs1800796 SNP in donors was found to influence liver function (shown in the data of ALT, AST, T-BIL, ALP and GGT) in recipients at the early post-transplant stage after transplantation. In conclusion, the IL-6 rs1800796 polymorphism was associated with the C/D ratios of tacrolimus and post-transplant donor liver function.
Keywords: IL-6 single nucleotide polymorphism; liver transplantation; tacrolimus concentration/dose ratios.