Abstract: The use of markers that participate in inflammatory processes and are associated cytokines in the diagnosis, treatment or prophylaxis of diseases is disclosed. Specifically, cytokines are used to diagnose or treat non-neoplastic or non-leukaemic diseases such as autoimmune diseases or neurodegenerative disorders by the process of taking a DNA bearing sample from a subject animal and analysing the sample to determine the allelic variants present at one or more of the SNP loci at positions ?1082, ?819 and ?592 of the gene encoding IL-10. A method of treating Alzheimer's disease, autoimmune diseases or other neurodegenerative disorders is disclosed by modulating, that is augmenting or decreasing, the function of a gene having one of the allelic polymorphisms of IL-10. IL-6 inhibitors and IL-10 promoters can be used in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of prophylaxis of Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract: An inflammatory process is suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the presence of neuritic plaques within the cerebral cortex that are mainly composed of a small insoluble protein of 40-42 aminoacids (amyloid protein). Amyloid-specific Interleukin-10 (IL-10) generation is found to be selectively and significantly reduced in AD patients (p=0.023). The genotype associated with high IL-10 production is extremely infrequent in AD individuals (2% vs. 28%). The presence of low/intermediate-IL-10-producing genotypes (GCC/ATA; ATA/ATA) was associated with an earlier age at disease onset and (ACC/ACC; ACC/ATA) with an accelerated rate of disease progression/severity and with amyloid-specific impairment of IL-10 production. This relationship is independent of ApoE gene polymorphism. These results support the use of anti-inflammatory compounds in the therapy of this disease.