Abstracts

Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (MTLS-HS) is the most common form of intractable partial epilepsy. Febrile seizures (FS) and association of FS with pro and anti inflammatory cytokines are stated in the pathogenesis of HS. Interleukin (IL)1- [beta] is a proinflammatory cytokine abundant in hippocampus which is synthesized in macrophage, glia, and neuronal cells in case of an infection or an inflammation. The protein production of the IL-1 [beta] gene which is placed in the long arm of chromosome 2, is affected by two polymorphisms, in 511 promotor region and in 3953 position of exon 5. Hippocampal injury is thought to be related to increased expression of the coded protein. An association of allele 2 homozygosity in IL-1 [beta] (511) position was demonstrated in Japanese patients but this finding wasn[rsquo]t confirmed in European and Chinese patients. Therefore we sought to investigate IL- [beta] (511 C/T) and (3953 T/C) polymorphism frequency and their relationship with FS in Turkish MTL-HS patients Forty-seven patients with MTLE-HS were recruited from our epilepsy outpatient clinic. DNA was isolated from the genomic blood , IL- [beta] (511) and (3953) genotypes were determined by PCR-RFLP technique then compared with control group of 71 people. Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. IL- [beta] (511) and (3953) genotypes didn[rsquo]t show any significant difference in patients and controls (p=0,58, p=0,45 respectively). No association was also found with FS in the history and genotype. The most common IL- [beta] genotypes in both groups were (3953*1/1) and (511*1/2). Our results, similar to European and Chinese studies indicated that IL-1 [beta] polymorphism is not a significant risk factor in Turkish MTLE-HS patients as well. (Supported by Research fund of the University of Istanbul .)