a 2011

Identification of syphilis susceptibility locus - a pilot study

MUSILOVÁ, Jana and David ŠMAJS

Basic information

Original name

Identification of syphilis susceptibility locus - a pilot study

Authors

MUSILOVÁ, Jana and David ŠMAJS

Edition

XV. Setkání biochemiků a molekulárních biologů, Brno, 1.-2.11.2011, 2011

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Konferenční abstrakt

Field of Study

10600 1.6 Biological sciences

Country of publisher

Hungary

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

Organization unit

Faculty of Medicine

Keywords in English

syphilis; TLR2
Změněno: 17/1/2012 13:36, Mgr. Marie Zobaníková, Ph.D.

Abstract

V originále

Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum (T. pallidum), the causative agent of sexually transmitted diseases syphilis, is known to affect people for at least five centuries. Since the end of the15th century, the disease has gone through a set of remarkable changes comprising its length, severity and mortality and became less virulent for humans. The changes in the disease progress must have been connected with changes in T. pallidum genome as well as in human genome. Although sequences of both genomes have been revealed, mechanisms of pathogenesis and virulence factors of T. pallidum have remained unclear. The aim of this pilot study is an identification of genetic loci in human genome which could modify susceptibility to syphilis. We have selected several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in immunity genes which may have affected immune response to T. pallidum. To clarify SNPs function in pathogenesis of syphilis, we carried out a case-control study. A case group comprised patients diagnosed with syphilis (15 individuals) and control group consisted of patients diagnosed as negative (21 individuals). Genotyping of all SNPs was carried out by Sanger sequencing and the results were statistically analysed. Despite the fact that our sample size is small we have identified rs5743708 in TLR2 gene as a protective factor for heterozygotes (p = 0,046). Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) is expressed on monocytes and dendritic cells where it binds triacylated lipopeptides. Although virulence factors of T. pallidum are not known, it is believed that the main antigens are lipopeptides. Therefore this body of evidence serves as the basis for follow up study.

Links

GA310/07/0321, research and development project
Name: Komparativní genomové sekvencování patogenních treponem a transkriptomová analýza T. pallidum ssp. pallidum
Investor: Czech Science Foundation
MSM0021622415, plan (intention)
Name: Molekulární podstata buněčných a tkáňových regulací
Investor: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the CR, Molecular basis of cell and tissue regulations