association between interleukin 4 gene seventy-base-pair variable number of tandem repeats polymorphism and uterine leiomyoma

Uterine leiomyoma (ul) is the most common gynecological tumor and a public health problem. higher serum interleukin 4 (il-4) level, as an anti-inflammatory cytokine that regulates th1/th2 cells balance, has been observed in the uterine cavity. the aim of this study was to investigate the association between il4 gene variable number of tandem repeats (vntr) polymorphism and the risk of ul in southeast of iran. we compared of 99 patients with ul with that of 102 healthy controls. the il4 vntr polymorphism was genotyped by gel electrophoresis after pcr amplification. there was no significant association between rp*1/rp*2 and rp*2/rp*2 genotypes and ul; however, a significant association between rp*2/rp*2 genotype and ul was found after adjustment for age (or, 4; 95% ci, 1.3-12.4; and p = 0.015). the frequency of rp*2 allele was significantly higher in women with ul (or, 1.9; 95% ci, 1.1-3.5; and p = 0.03). the il4 vntr rp*2/rp*2 genotype could be an age-related risk factor for ul. moreover, the frequency of rp*2 allele was significantly higher in women with ul.