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  • Original Article
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Association of a new mannose-binding lectin variant with severe malaria in Gabonese children

Genes & Immunity volume 7, pages 393–400 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Mannose-binding lectin (MBL2) variants that decrease the plasma level of the protein or encode dysfunctional proteins are frequently associated with the severity of a number of infections and autoimmune disorders. The high frequencies of these variants in most populations of the world are probably maintained by some selective advantage against widespread diseases. We found 14 new MBL2 allelic haplotypes, two of them with non-synonymous variants, by screening 136 children with uncomplicated malaria, 131 children with severe malaria and 39 older healthy schoolchildren. We also found a significant association of a novel variant with susceptibility to severe malaria (P=0.010). Increased MBL plasma levels and corresponding MBL2 genotypes were associated with lower concentration of several cytokines and chemokines in plasma of malaria patients. We suggest that malaria could have been one of the evolutionary driving forces shaping the MBL2 polymorphism in the African population.

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Acknowledgements

The subjects of this investigation were informed about the aims of the study and their consent to participate is gratefully acknowledged. We thank Andrea Weierich and Silvelia Grummes for excellent technical assistance, and the Bio-Rad Laboratories staff for kindly providing the equipment and reagents necessary for the BioPlex cytokine multiplex assays. This work was supported by a grant of the NGFN (Nationales Genomforschungsnetz 01GS0114) to JFJ Kun and by a CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, Brazil) PhD scholarship for ABW Boldt.

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Author notes

  1. A Luty

    Present address: Medical Parasitology, MMB-NCMLS, Nijmegen Medical Centre, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Parasitology, Institute for Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

    A B W Boldt, A Luty, M P Grobusch, P G Kremsner & J F J Kun

  2. Medical Research Unit, Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Lambaréné, Gabon

    A Luty, M P Grobusch & P G Kremsner

  3. Department of Medical Biometry, Tübingen, Germany

    K Dietz & M Kombila

  4. Department of Parasitology, Tropical Medicine and Mycology, University of Libreville, Libreville, Gabon

    A Dzeing

Authors
  1. A B W Boldt
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  2. A Luty
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  3. M P Grobusch
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to J F J Kun.

Additional information

Databases: MBL2 – OMIM: 154545; GenBank: AF080508, Y16576, Y16577, Y16578, Y16579, Y16580, Y16581, Y16582; NCBI Protein: NP_000233; Gene Cards: GC10M054195; dbSNP: 4153.

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Boldt, A., Luty, A., Grobusch, M. et al. Association of a new mannose-binding lectin variant with severe malaria in Gabonese children. Genes Immun 7, 393–400 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.gene.6364312

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.gene.6364312

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