Association of interleukin-38 and its polymorphism (rs7599662) with ulcerative colitis

Abstract Background Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a common health issue worldwide. IL-38 is a cytokine that was verified to have anti-inflammatory role and associated with many inflammatory and immune disorders. We attempted to evaluate serum level of IL-38 and its polymorphism (rs7599662) in patients with ulcerative colitis. Methods Seventy-eight patients with UC and 78 healthy subjects were enrolled. Serum concentration of IL-38 was assessed via ELISA technique. Rs7599662 of IL-38 was investigated using RT-PCR. Results When compared to controls, individuals with UC had considerably higher serum levels of IL-38. Also, the mutant TT genotype of rs7599662 was linked significantly to increased risk of UC ( p = 0.009).We revealed the association of IL-38 and its polymorphism with increasing susceptibility to UC indicating their possible participation in pathogenesis of UC and the possibility of using IL-38 as a new biomarker and UC therapy target.