Analysis of MxA, IL-4, and IRF-1 genes in Filipino patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.
BACKGROUND
Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a chronic and debilitating disease of the central nervous system caused by a latent measles virus infection. Three candidate genes, MxA, IL-4, and IRF-1 genes were shown to be associated with SSPE in Japanese patients. These genes have been suggested to play a role in the establishment of persistent viral infection in the central nervous system.


METHODS
Sixty Filipino SSPE patients and 120 healthy control subjects were included in the study. Single nucleotide polymorphisms at promoter regions ( IL-4-590C/T and MXA-88G/T) were screened using PCR-RFLP method. Genotyping was done for GT repeat polymorphism within intron 7 of IRF-1.


RESULTS
The TT genotype of MXA, as well as the CT genotype of IL-4, were seen a little more frequently among the SSPE patients as compared to the control subjects. The values though, did not reach statistical significance. IRF-1 analysis did not differ between the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study failed to demonstrate a significant association between IL-4, MXA, or IRF-1, and SSPE in the Filipino population. Our results might be explained by a greater contribution of environmental factors such as the socio-economic and nutritional factors in the susceptibility of Filipinos to SSPE other than genetic factors.
Pipo-Deveza
J R
JR
Section of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics and Neurosciences, University of the Philippines, Philippine General Hospital, Taft Avenue, Manila, Philippines. judepipo@yahoo.com
Kusuhara
K
K
Silao
C L T
CL
Lukban
M B
MB
Salonga
A M
AM
Sanchez
B C
BC
Kira
R
R
Takemoto
M
M
Torisu
H
H
Hara
T
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D050856:Interferon Regulatory Factor-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008459:Measles virus / Q000472:pathogenicity; D064547:Myxovirus Resistance Proteins; D010679:Philippines / Q000453:epidemiology; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D013344:Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*
D050856:Interferon Regulatory Factor-1; C579071:MX1 protein, human; D064547:Myxovirus Resistance Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015847:Interleukin-4; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins