Considering the inflammatory-depression link, and that women are twice as likely to experience depression compared to men, the current study (<i>N</i> = 475 university students) examined the moderating role of three independent cytokine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; IL-1β rs16944, IL-6 rs1800795 SNP, TNF-α rs1800629) in the relationship between early-life adversity and depressive symptoms, and whether these relations differed between males and females.
In addition, the effect of rs16944 A allele was reversed in a subsample with low-exposure to life stress, suggesting a protective effect against depressive symptoms, in the post hoc analysis.
The aim of the present study was to investigate a trio of functional SNPs in the promoter regions of IL6 (-174G>C, rs1800795), IL1β (-511C>T, rs16944), and TNF (-308G>A, rs1800629) as moderators of the relationship between chronic stress exposure and elevations in depressive symptoms.