Associations of polymorphic genes encoding the inflammatory mediators IL-6 (rs1800795) and TNF (rs1800629) with cytokine levels in patients with vibration disease

Introduction. The study of the polymorphism of the genes responsible for the immune response and inflammation is of considerable interest in modern biomedical science. Cytokines are key mediators and participants in the inflammatory process. Serum IL-6 and TNF- α levels may be caused by the functional polymorphism of the corresponding genes and have an adverse effect on the course of vibration disease (VD), aggravating its clinical manifestations.

Aim of the study. To evaluate the association of polymorphic *IL-6* (rs1800795) and *TNF* (rs1800629) genes with cytokine concentrations (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-4) in VD patients.

Material and Methods. Genotyping of the polymorphic loci rs1800795 of the IL-6 gene and rs1800629 of the TNF gene was performed by polymerase chain reaction. Serum cytokine concentrations (IL-4, IL-6, TNF- α) were determined by enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay.

Results. The frequency the heterozygous C/G genotype of the IL-6 gene (rs1800795) was found to be statistically significantly higher in VD patients, in contrast to individuals in the comparison group. There were no significant association relationships between polymorphic variants of the IL-6 (rs1800795) and TNF (rs1800629) genes with concentrations of IL-6, TNF- α in VD patients. At the same time, the results obtained indicate to the development of an imbalance in the cytokine system and compensatory mechanisms of cytokine regulation of the neuroimmune response in all genotypes of the IL-6 (rs1800795) and TNF (rs1800629) genes in VD patients.

Limitations. The limitations of this work are small groups of patients.

Conclusion. New data on the frequency of genotypes and alleles of polymorphic genes IL-6 (rs1800795) and TNF (rs1800629) in VD patients have been obtained. It was revealed that the presence of the C/G genotype of the IL-6 gene (rs1800795) in VD patients might be associated with a change in the level of IL-6 and an increase in the risk of developing and intensifying an inflammatory response during the formation of occupational disease. The results obtained may be due to both genetic factors and epigenetic changes, which reflects the development of an imbalance in the cytokine system and impaired neuroimmune interaction in VD patients.

Compliance with ethical standards. During the study were observed the ethical standards of the Helsinki Declaration of the World Medical Association “Ethical Principles for Conducting Scientific Medical Research with Human Participation” (2024). There is a conclusion of the Local Ethics Committee of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution VSIMEI (protocol No. 5 dated 03/21.2023). All participants gave informed voluntary written consent to participate in the study.

Contribution:
Naumova O.V. – collection and processing of material, design of research, writing of text, editing;
Bodienkova G.M. – concept and design of research, writing of text, editing;
Boklazhenko E.V. – collection and processing of material, statistical processing;
All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Funding. The work was performed within the framework of funds allocated for the implementation of the state task East-Siberian Institute of Medical and Ecological Research.

Received: June 1, 2026 / Accepted: July 1, 2026 / Published: October 20, 2026

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