title: The significance of mannose-binding lectin gene polymorphisms on the risk of BK virus coinfection in women with human papillomavirus-positive cervical lesions.
abstract: The simultaneous detection of oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) and BK virus (BKV) has been recently reported in cervical cancers, suggesting that these viruses may act together in the process of cell transformation; host genetic polymorphisms may also influence virus persistence/reactivation. To disclose a possible role of the gene encoding for the mannose-binding lectin, MBL2, in susceptibility to BKV infection, we analyzed functional polymorphisms in the first exon of MBL2 in women stratified for the presence/absence of BKV and affected by different grades of HPV-induced cervical precancerous lesions. All BKV-positive samples were also HPV positive (HPV 16), and all presented with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions. The MBL2 A allele was significantly more frequent in BKV-negative patients than in BKV-positive patients. These data indicate a possible role for the A allele in conferring protection to BKV infection in high-risk HPV-positive women (odds ratio 0.40, 95% confidence interval 0.20-0.85, p = 0.01).
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive, Developmental, and Public Health Sciences, University of Trieste, and Clinical Unit of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Manola
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Comar
authors.forename: Ludovica
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Segat
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Crovella
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bovenzi
authors.forename: Enzo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cortini
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tognon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D001739:BK Virus / Q000254:growth & development*; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16 / Q000254:growth & development*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D016017:Odds Ratio; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D012306:Risk; D019562:Viral Load; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; C445619:MBL2 protein, human; D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin