title: Association between human African trypanosomiasis and the IL6 gene in a Congolese population.
abstract: Despite the importance of behavioural and environmental risk factors, there are arguments consistent with the existence of a genetic susceptibility to human African trypanosomiasis (HAT). A candidate gene association study was conducted in the Democratic Republic of Congo using a family-based sample which included a total of 353 subjects (86 trios; one case and parents (n=258) and 23 families with more than one case and parents (n=95)). Polymorphisms located on the IL1alpha, IL4, IL6, IL8, IL10, TNFalpha and IFNgamma genes were genotyped after re-sequencing of the genes for extensive SNP search. The T allele of the IL6(4339) SNP was significantly associated with a decreased risk of developing the disease (p=0.0006) and a suggestive association was observed for the IL1alpha(5417 T) SNP and an increased risk of developing the disease. These results suggest that genetic variability of the IL6 and to a lesser extent the IL1alpha gene are involved in the development of HAT. For the TNFalpha and IL10 gene polymorphisms, association results obtained here were different from those we observed in another population living under different epidemiologic conditions. This underlines the complexity of the interactions existing between host genetic polymorphisms, parasite diversity and behavioural and environmental risk factors in HAT.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Unité de recherche 010: Santé de la mère et de l'enfant en milieu tropical, Faculté de pharmacie, 4 Avenue de l'observatoire, 75270 Paris, France. d.courtin@gmail.com
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Courtin
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Milet
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jamonneau
authors.forename: Claude Sese
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Yeminanga
authors.forename: Victor Kande Betu
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Kumeso
authors.forename: Constantin Miaka Mia
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Bilengue
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Betard
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garcia
mesh_terms: D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D019410:Interleukin-16 / Q000235:genetics*; D016015:Logistic Models; D014353:Trypanosomiasis, African / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D019410:Interleukin-16