RESUMEN
Objective: To examine the possible role of 22 cytokine gene polymorphisms in host susceptibility to or protection against tuberculosis (TB) in Macedonians. Method: 301 healthy unrelated individuals and 75 patients with pulmonary TB were studied. Cytokine genotyping was performed by PCR with sequence-specific priming (PCR-SSP) (Heidelberg kit). Results: TNF-Ü -238/G, IL-1R psti1970/C, IL-1â +3962/T:T, IL-4 -1098/ T:T, IFNã utr5644/A:A, IL-10 -1082/G:G, IL- 4 -590/C:C, IL-10/ATC, IL-4/TCT, IL-4/TCC, IL-10/ATC:GCC, IL-4/TCT:TTT, IL-4/TCC:TTC, IL-10/GCC:GCC and IL-4/TCC:TCC were positively associated with TB, while protective association was identified for IL-4 -1098/G, IL-1â +3962/C, IFNã utr5644/T, IL-1â +3962/C:T, IL-4 -1098/G:T, IL-4 -590/C:T, IFNã utr5644/A:T, IL-4/GCC, IL-4/TTC and IL-4/GCC:TTC. Conclusion: These results suggest that some cytokine polymorphisms are significantly associated and affect host susceptibility/resistance to TB in Macedonians.