The prevalence of the variants of the L-ficolin gene (FCN2) in the arctic populations of East Siberia

Abstract

L-ficolin encoded by FCN2 gene is a crucial factor of defence against infection in humans. We studied the prevalence of the two common variants (rs17549193 and rs7851696) in aboriginal and alien populations of the Taymyr-Dolgan-Nenets region of Krasnoyarskiy Kray, East Siberia, Russia (Nenets, Dolgans, Nganasans, Russians). We found a decreased prevalence of the rs17549193*T allele in all aboriginal populations as compared to Russians. Also, its frequency was the lowest in the Nenets among the studied populations, while frequency of the rs7851696*T allele was increased in this population. The results suggest that the Arctic populations of East Siberia are characterised by specificity of genetic make-up responsible for the activity of L-ficolin. Clinical and epidemiological studies are required to discover if these genetic features correlate with the infant infectious morbidity in East Siberian populations.

Keywords: Circumpolar area; Ethnic groups; L-ficolin; Newborns; Russia; SNPs.