title: Association of Vitamin D Receptor Polymorphism with Susceptibility to Symptomatic Pertussis.
abstract: Pertussis, caused by infection with the gram negative B. pertussis bacterium, is a serious respiratory illness that can last for months. While B. pertussis infection rates are estimated between 1-10% in the general population, notifications of symptomatic pertussis only comprise 0.01-0.1% indicating that most individuals clear B. pertussis infections without developing (severe) clinical symptoms. In this study we investigated whether genetic risk factors are involved in the development of symptomatic pertussis upon B. pertussis infection. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in candidate genes, MBL2, IL17A, TNFα, VDR, and IL10 were genotyped in a unique Dutch cohort of symptomatic clinically confirmed (ex-)pertussis patients and in a Dutch population cohort. Of the seven investigated SNPs in five genes, a polymorphism in the Vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene (rs10735810) was associated with pertussis. The VDR major allele and its homozygous genotype were more present in the symptomatic pertussis patient cohort compared to the control population cohort. Interestingly, the VDR major allele correlated also with the duration of reported pertussis symptoms. Vitamin D3 (VD3) and VDR are important regulators of immune activation. Altogether, these findings suggest that polymorphisms in the VDR gene may affect immune activation and the clinical outcome of B. pertussis infection.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wanda G H
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hennie M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Hodemaekers
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bhawani
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nagarajah
authors.affiliation: Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Martien M C
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Poelen
authors.affiliation: Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Kina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Helm
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Riny
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.affiliation: Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Cécile A C M
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: van Els
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000235:genetics*; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol