Antibody prevalence and titer to norovirus (genogroup II) correlate with secretor (FUT2) but not with ABO phenotype or Lewis (FUT3) genotype.
BACKGROUND
Histo-blood group antigens and secretor status have been associated with susceptibility to Norovirus infections, which suggests that antibody prevalence and titer might correlate with these phenotypes.


METHODS
Plasma samples (n = 105) from Swedish blood donors that had been genotyped for secretor (FUT2) and Lewis (Le; FUT3) genotypes and phenotyped for ABO and Le blood groups were analyzed for immunoglobulin G antibody prevalence and titers to norovirus genogroup (GG) II.4.


RESULTS
The results showed that nonsecretors (se4128se428) and Lea+b- individuals not only had significantly lower antibody titers than did secretors (P < .0001) and Lea-b+ individuals (P < .0002) but were also significantly more often antibody negative (P < .05). Antibody titers in secretors were not significantly different between individuals of different Le (FUT3) genotypes or different ABO phenotypes.


CONCLUSIONS
Nonsecretors and Lea+b- individuals are significantly less prone to be infected with GGII noroviruses. This new information extends previous knowledge and supports the hypothesis that nonsecretors are relatively but not absolutely resistant to norovirus infections.
Larsson
Malin Modin
MM
Division of Molecular Virology, University of Linkoping, 581 85 Linkoping, Sweden.
Rydell
Gustaf E P
GE
Grahn
Ammi
A
Rodriguez-Diaz
Jesus
J
Akerlind
Britt
B
Hutson
Anne M
AM
Estes
Mary K
MK
Larson
Goran
G
Svensson
Lennart
L
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001789:Blood Group Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005647:Fucosyltransferases / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D029322:Norovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D000097631:Galactoside 2-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D001789:Blood Group Antigens; D005647:Fucosyltransferases; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D000097631:Galactoside 2-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase; C019818:3-galactosyl-N-acetylglucosaminide 4-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase