Background: Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), an angio-proliferative inflammation lesion, is frequently secondary to clinical immunosuppression such as after renal transplantation. KS growth is promoted by the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) and is also correlated with human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) infection.
Materials and methods: In a sample of 15 renal transplant patients with KS and 40 patients without KS, we explored the influence of genetic differences in the production of IL-6 by promoter polymorphisms G-174C as well as the correlation with HHV-8 DNA.
Results: The G allele homozygotes, which are associated with increased IL-6 production, had increased KS incidence (p=0.008). Therefore increased IL-6 production constitutes a risk factor which should be considered in clinical immunosuppression.
Conclusion: In addition to the HHV-8 infection, the interleukin-6 promoter polymorphism G-174C is associated with a risk of development of KS in renal transplant recipients.