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. 2013 Jun 1;207(11):1675-83.
doi: 10.1093/infdis/jit081. Epub 2013 Feb 28.

Mannose-binding lectin and susceptibility to schistosomiasis

Justin S Antony  1 , Olusola Ojurongbe, Hoang van Tong, Eman Abou Ouf, Thomas Engleitner, Akeem A Akindele, Olawumi R Sina-Agbaje, Adegboyega O Adeyeba, Peter G Kremsner, Thirumalaisamy P Velavan
Affiliations

Mannose-binding lectin and susceptibility to schistosomiasis

Justin S Antony et al. J Infect Dis. .

Abstract

Background: Human ficolin 2 (encoded by FCN2) and mannose-binding lectin (encoded by MBL2) bind to specific pathogen-associated molecular patterns, activate the complement lectin cascade in a similar manner, and are associated with several infectious diseases. Our recently published study established certain FCN2 promoter variants and ficolin-2 serum levels as protective factors against schistosomiasis.

Methods: We used the Nigerian cohort from our recently published study, which included 163 Schistosoma haematobium-infected individuals and 183 matched healthy subjects, and investigated whether MBL deficiency and MBL2 polymorphisms are associated with schistosomiasis.

Results: MBL serum levels were significantly higher in controls and were associated with protection (P < .0001). The -550H minor allele was significantly associated with protection (P = .03), and the heterozygous genotypes -550HL were observed to confer protection (P = .03). The MBL2*HYPA haplotype was significantly associated with protection (P = .03), with significantly higher serum MBL levels in controls (P = .00073). The heterozygous 6-bp deletion in the promoter was observed to be a susceptibility factor in schistosomiasis (P = .03).

Conclusions: In agreement with findings from our recently published study, the findings reported here support the observation that MBL is also associated with protection in schistosomiasis.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Linkage disequilibrium pattern of MBL2 variants in individuals who tested positive for Schistosoma eggs (the SEP group [cases]; A), individuals who tested positive for Schistosoma antigens by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA; the SELP group [controls]; B), individuals who tested negative for Schistosoma antigens by ELISA and negative for Schistosoma eggs (the SELN group [controls]; C), and the SELP and SELN groups combined (D). Empty squares indicate a high degree of linkage disequilibrium (D’ = 1). Numbers indicate the D’ value expressed as a percentile. The dense shading indicates the r2 value. The haplotype block is outlined by a solid line.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
A, Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) serum levels in individuals who tested positive for Schistosoma eggs (the SEP group [cases]), individuals who tested positive for Schistosoma antigens by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA; the SELP group [controls]), individuals who tested negative for Schistosoma antigens by ELISA and negative for Schistosoma eggs (the SELN group [controls]), and the SELP and SELN groups combined. B, MBL serum levels in individuals with HYPA haplotype in cases and controls.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) serum levels according to combined genotypes of the −221 promoter region and exon 1 of MBL2 in individuals who tested positive for Schistosoma eggs (the SEP group) and individuals who tested positive for Schistosoma antigens by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (the SELP group). Genotypes were divided into high MBL-producing genotypes (YA/YA), intermediate MBL-producing genotypes (YA/YO, XA/YA, and XA/XA), and low MBL-producing genotypes (YO/YO and XA/YO).
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