Lack of Association between the IL6R Gene Asp358Ala Variant (rs2228145)‎, IL-6 Plasma Levels, and Treatment Resistance in Chilean Schizophrenic Patients Treated with Clozapine

Abstract EN

Alterations in neuroinflammatory processes have been suggested to contribute to the development of Schizophrenia (SZ); one component of the inflammatory system that has been linked to this disorder is interleukin-6 (IL-6).

The minor allele of rs2228145, a functional polymorphism in the IL-6 receptor gene, has been associated to elevated IL-6 plasma levels and increased inflammatory activity, making it an interesting candidate to study as a possible factor underlying clinical heterogeneity in SZ.

We studied a sample of 100 patients undergoing treatment with clozapine.

Their symptoms were quantified by Brief Psychotic Rating Scale; those with the lowest scores (“remitted”) were compared with the highest (“clozapine treatment resistant”).

We determined allelic frequencies for rs2228145 and IL-6 plasma levels.

Our results do not support a role of IL-6 in response to treatment with clozapine.

Further studies accounting for potential confounding factors are necessary.