title: Influence of mannose-binding lectin on HIV infection and tuberculosis in a Western-European population.
abstract: Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is a serum lectin that mediates phagocytosis and activates complement. Its deficiency has been associated with increased susceptibility to infectious diseases, mainly in childhood. However, non-producer mbl-2 alleles are common in most populations, suggesting a selective advantage of these alleles. We have analysed the association of mbl-2 structural and promoter polymorphisms with HIV infection and tuberculosis (TBC) in a white Spanish population, including 615 HIV patients with and without TBC, 127 no-HIV TBC patients, 142 TBC household contacts and 344 controls. The frequency of low or non-producer mbl-2 genotypes was lower in HIV patients than in controls. HIV-TBC patients presented lower frequencies of low or non-producer alleles and genotypes than HIV no-TBC patients and controls. Additionally, we found a significantly positive correlation between the incidence of TBC and the frequency of non-producer mbl-2 alleles in Western Europe. Therefore, MBL deficiency may be associated with a lower risk of HIV infection, and also of active TBC, at least in HIV patients. The protective role of low-producer mbl-2 genotypes against TBC together with the positive correlation observed between non-producer mbl-2 alleles and TBC incidence, suggest a balancing selection: in spite of an increased susceptibility to respiratory infections associated with MBL deficiency, mbl-2 deficient alleles would have been selected along different populations as a consequence of its selective advantage against intracellular pathogens, such as M. tuberculosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and RedRespira-ISCiii-RTIC-03/11, Hospital de Gran Canaria Dr. Negrin, Barranco de la Ballena s/n 35010, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
authors.forename: M Isabel
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Garcia-Laorden
authors.forename: M Jose
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Pena
authors.forename: Jose A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Caminero
authors.forename: Ayoze
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garcia-Saavedra
authors.forename: M Isolina
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Campos-Herrero
authors.forename: Araceli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caballero
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Gallego
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012307:Risk Factors; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics*; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin