Characterization of Mannose-Binding Lectin Gene Polymorphism Among Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus 1 and 2–Infected Asymptomatic Subjects

• Published in: Human Immunology Vol. 66; no. 8; pp. 892 - 896
• Main Authors: Pontes, G.S., Tamegão-Lopes, B., Machado, L.F.A., Azevedo, V.N., Ishak, M.O.G., Ishak, R., Lemos, J.A.R., Vallinoto, A.C.R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.08.2005
• Subjects: Deltaretrovirus Infections - virology; genetic polymorphism; Genotype; human T-cell lymphotropic virus; Human T-lymphotropic virus; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 - genetics; Human T-lymphotropic virus 2; Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 - genetics; Humans; mannose-binding lectin; Mannose-Binding Lectin - genetics; Polymorphism, Genetic - genetics; OR; MBL; HTLV; human T-cell lymphotropic virus; genetic polymorphism; mannose-binding lectin; PCR
• ISSN: 0198-8859; 1879-1166; 1365-2567
• DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2005.06.006

The present study investigated the association between mannose-binding lectin (MBL) gene polymorphism and the susceptibility to human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV) infection in a group of 83 HTLV-infected asymptomatic subjects (62 HTLV-1 and 21 HTLV-2) and 99 healthy controls. Detection of MBL*A, MBL*B, and MBL*C was performed by amplifying a fragment of 349 bp (exon 1) and submitting the product to restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis with BanI and MboII endonucleases. Allele MBL*D was investigated by sequence-specific primer–polymerase chain reaction. The frequency of MBL*A, MBL*B, and MBL*D was 63%, 22%, and 15% among seropositive subjects and 70%, 14%, and 16% among healthy controls, respectively. Genotype differences were statistically significant (χ 2 = 11.57; p = 0.04); the presence of genotype BB was 9.6% among HTLV-infected patients compared with 1% among controls (χ 2 = 7.151; p = 0.019). A significant difference of the genotype frequencies between HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 infections was observed, but this result could be attributed to the number of investigated HTLV-1-infected subjects. The odds ratio to the presence of BB genotype was 10.453 (1.279 ≤ IC95% ≤ 85.40; p = 0.019). Results reveal a strong association between MBL polymorphism and HTLV infection. Presence of genotype BB may be associated with the susceptibility to HTLV, but further studies, with a larger number of individuals, will be necessary. MBL polymorphism could possibly have an impact on diseases associated with HTLV infection.