BACKGROUND: Cytokines play a crucial role in different immunopathological conditions. Cytokine secretion is reported to be determined by polymorphisms in the cytokine genes. Since TNF-alfa and IL-10 are involved in regulation of inflammation, and TGF-beta 1 can induce fibrosis and renal insufficiency - dominant features of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), we explored the hypothesis that polymorphisms of these cytokine genes may be possible genetic susceptibility factors for the progression of renal failure. METHODS: We studied the IL-10 (-1082), TNF-alfa (-308), TGF-beta 1 (codon 10;25) gene single nucleotide polymorphisms in 118 healthy donors and 103 patients with ESRD (44 hemodialysis patients with diabetic nephropathy and 59 hemodialysis patients with glomerulonephritis) using PCR-SSP. RESULTS: Significant associations of ESRD with the TGF-beta 1 (codon 10) TT (odds ratio [OR] = 5.31; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 3.77-7.02; p<0.001) and IL-10 (-1082) GG (OR=2.35; 95% CI, 1.67-3.15; p<0.01) genotypes were found. Statistical analysis of genotype frequencies made separately for the underlying renal disease (diabetes or glomerulo-nephritis) revealed the same linkage trend: TGF-beta 1 (codon 10) TT and IL-10 (-1082) GG were associated with type 2 diabetic nephropathy (p<0.001 and p<0.05, respectively) and chronic glomerulonephritis (p<0.001 and p<0.01, respectively). No significant differences in the TNF-alfa , TGF-beta 1 (codon 25) genotype distribution between healthy controls and patients with diabetic nephropathy- or glomerulonephritis-associated ESRD were detected. CONCLUSIONS: Carriage of the TGF-beta 1 (codon 10) TT and IL-10 (-1082) GG genotypes may increase susceptibility to ESRD in German patients with type 2 diabetes or glomerulonephritis.