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A STAT6 gene polymorphism is associated with high infection levels in urinary schistosomiasis

Genes & Immunity volume 9, pages 195–206 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Th2-mediated immunity is critical for human defence against schistosome, and susceptibility to infection is controlled by a major genetic locus, mapped on the 5q31–q33 region comprising the genes IL4, IL5 and IL13. We have reported an association between the rs1800925 polymorphism in the IL13 promoter and infection levels in a Dogon population (693 subjects in Ségué and 148 in Boul), where Schistosoma haematobium is endemic. In the same population, we investigated whether other polymorphisms in genes involved in type 2 cytokine immune response could affect susceptibility to schistosome infection. By logistic regression analysis, we found an association between a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the STAT6 gene (rs324013) and infection levels (P=0.04). We confirmed this association in analyses restricted to subjects under 20 years age and living in Boul, the village with the highest levels of infection (P=0.005). We detected an additive effect of the rs324013 and rs1800925 polymorphisms (P=0.011). These SNPs were not strongly correlated with any other tested markers surrounding the two genes. Furthermore, electrophoretic mobility shift assay has shown that both polymorphisms affect transcription factor binding. These results are consistent with the Th2 cytokine pathway enhancing resistance to schistosome infection in humans.

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Acknowledgements

This work received financial assistance from the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, the World Health Organization (ID096546), the European Economic Community (TS3 CT940296, IC18CT970212), the Scientific and Technical Cooperation with Developing Countries (IC18CT980373), the French Ministere de la Recherche et des Techniques (PRFMMIP), the Conseil Général Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur and the Conseil Régional Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur. HH received a PhD fellowship from the French Embassy in China.

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  1. INSERM, U399, Marseille, France

    H He, A Isnard, S Cabantous, A Dessein & C Chevillard

  2. Laboratory of Parasitology Mycology, Faculty of Medicine la Timone, University of Aix-Marseille, Marseille, France

    H He, A Isnard, S Cabantous, A Dessein & C Chevillard

  3. Department of Epidemiology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Odonto-Stomatology, Bamako, Mali

    B Kouriba & O Doumbo

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He, H., Isnard, A., Kouriba, B. et al. A STAT6 gene polymorphism is associated with high infection levels in urinary schistosomiasis. Genes Immun 9, 195–206 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/gene.2008.2

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