Analysis of association of IL12B gene polymorphisms in the susceptibility to the evolution for Chronic Chagas' Disease

• Grant number: 11/20331-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2011
• End date: November 30, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Cellular Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Edecio Cunha Neto
• Grantee: Sthefanny Cristina Alves
• Host Institution: Instituto do Coração Professor Euryclides de Jesus Zerbini (INCOR). Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da USP (HCFMUSP). Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The most important clinical consequence of Chagas 'disease is a chronic Chagas' Disease (CCC). Given the familial aggregation of cases, and the association of polymorphisms of some genes of the immune response, it is possible that genetic factors explain why only 30% of chagasic patients develop clinically significant cardiac lesions. The mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate in the myocardium, consistent with the process of delayed hypersensitivity, is an important factor in the pathogenesis of CCC. Several authors found T lymphocytes of the Th1 type, producing interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in the myocardium and peripheral blood of patients CCC, which is consistent with the process of delayed hypersensitivity. Interleukin 12 (IL-12) is a major inducer of Th1 lymphocytes and the production of IFN-gamma. The gene for IL-12 has several functional polymorphisms have been identified. The aim of this study is to evaluate the possible association between nine polymorphisms distributed throughout the functional IL12B gene and the clinical forms of chronic Chagas Disease.(AU)