title: Association of a variable number tandem repeat in the NLRP3 gene in women with susceptibility to RVVC.
abstract: Vaginal infections with Candida spp. frequently occur in women of childbearing age. A small proportion of these women experience recurrent vulvovaginal candidosis (RVVC), which is characterized by at least three episodes of infection in one year. In addition to known risk factors such as antibiotics, diabetes, or pregnancy, host genetic variation and inflammatory pathways such as the IL-1/Th17 axis have been reported to play a substantial role in the pathogenesis of RVVC. In this study, we assessed a variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism in the NLRP3 gene that encodes a component of the inflammasome, processing the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18. A total of 270 RVVC patients and 583 healthy controls were analyzed, and increased diseases susceptibility was associated with the presence of the 12/9 genotype. Furthermore, functional studies demonstrate that IL-1β production at the vaginal surface is higher in RVVC patients bearing the 12/9 genotype compared to controls, whereas IL-1Ra levels were decreased and IL-18 levels remained unchanged. These findings suggest that IL-1β-mediated hyperinflammation conveyed by the NLRP3 gene plays a causal role in the pathogenesis of RVVC and may identify this pathway as a potential therapeutic target in the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jaeger
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Polo Unico Sant'Andrea delle Fratte, 06132, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Polo Unico Sant'Andrea delle Fratte, 06132, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Plantinga
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: van de Veerdonk
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Polo Unico Sant'Andrea delle Fratte, 06132, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Puccetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Polo Unico Sant'Andrea delle Fratte, 06132, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Galosi
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: L A B
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Joosten
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Necker, Paris, France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dupont
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Kullberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Sobel
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Polo Unico Sant'Andrea delle Fratte, 06132, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Romani
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Mihai.Netea@radboudumc.nl.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Netea
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D002181:Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats; D000071199:NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D000071199:NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein