Genetic polymorphisms in TLR4, CR1 and Duffy genes are not associated with malaria resistance in patients from Baixo Amazonas region, Brazil

Genet Mol Res. 2008 Oct 7;7(4):1011-9. doi: 10.4238/vol7-4gmr439.

Abstract

The main purpose of this research was to analyze the relation of the genetic polymorphisms frequently expressed by antigen-presenting cells, erythrocytes and malaria susceptibility/resistance with the human malaria infection cases. The sample used consisted of 23 Plasmodium vivax (Pv)- and P. falciparum (Pf)-infected patients, and 21 healthy individuals as a control group, from the Baixo Amazonas population in Pará, Brazil. The Asp299Gly polymorphisms in the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), and Gly42Asp, Arg89Cys, Ala100Thr, and T-33C in the Duffy gene (FY) were analyzed by restriction fragment length polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction. The Lys1590Glu and Arg1601Gly polymorphisms in the complement receptor type 1 (CR1) were analyzed by DNA sequencing. According to the results obtained and statistical analysis considering a significance level or alpha = 0.01, we conclude that the low heterozygote frequency (2.27%) for the Asp299Gly mutation, detected in the TLR4 gene, is not related to the Pv and Pf infections in the patients analyzed. Also, the promoter region GATA-1 analysis of the FY gene in the Pv-infected patients showed that the heterozygote frequency for the T-33C mutation (11.36% of the infected patients and 20.45% of the control patients) is not related to infection resistance. Regarding the CR1 gene, the observed heterozygote frequency (9.09%) for the Arg1601Gly mutation in Pf-infected patients when compared to heterozygote frequency in the control group (18.18%) suggests that there is no correlation with infection resistance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • Duffy Blood-Group System / genetics*
  • Gene Frequency
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Humans
  • Malaria / epidemiology
  • Malaria / genetics*
  • Mutation
  • Plasmodium falciparum / pathogenicity
  • Plasmodium vivax / pathogenicity
  • Polymorphism, Genetic*
  • Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / genetics*
  • Receptors, Complement 3b / genetics*
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / genetics*

Substances

  • ACKR1 protein, human
  • CR1 protein, human
  • Duffy Blood-Group System
  • Receptors, Cell Surface
  • Receptors, Complement 3b
  • TLR4 protein, human
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4