Evaluation of functional effects of rs10905284 polymorphism in GATA3 gene in the immune response against Mycobacterium leprae

• Grant number: 14/04143-3
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): May 01, 2014
• Effective date (End): December 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Cellular Immunology
• Principal researcher: Vânia Nieto Brito de Souza
• Grantee: Bruna Beatriz de Oliveira Gimenez
• Home Institution: Instituto Lauro de Souza Lima (ILSL). Coordenadoria de Controle de Doenças (CCD). Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). Bauru , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Leprosy remains a major public health problem in Brazil due to the high number of new cases and the occurrence of disabilities. For the development of the disease is necessary a close and sustained contact with multibacillary patients. In addition, the genetic background of the individual is very important to determine the susceptibility to M. leprae as well as the progression of leprosy which is influenced by the host immune response. Our group has evaluated candidate genes in the 10p13 region, previously associated with leprosy in linkage studies. A significant association of the polymorphism rs10905284 in the GATA3 gene to leprosy was found, where the carriers of the A allele were protected against the disease. This gene encodes the transcription factor GATA-3 which mediates the differentiation of T cells in the subpopulation Th2, characterized by the production of cytokines IL- 4, IL -5, IL -10 and IL -13, stimulation of the humoral immune response and inhibition of microbicidal mechanisms of macrophages. Aiming to continue our studies on the role of the rs10905284 polymorphism in leprosy, we intend to investigate the expression of GATA -3 in lymphocytes and the production of IL- 2, IL -4, IL -5, IL -10, TNF and IFN-³ in cultures of PBMCs stimulated with bacillary antigens according to genotype for this polymorphism.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MEDEIROS, PRISCILA; DA SILVA, WEBER LAURENTINO; DE OLIVEIRA GIMENEZ, BRUNA BEATRIZ; VALLEZI, KEREN BASTOS; MORAES, MILTON OZORIO; BRITO DE SOUZA, VANIA NIETO; PEREIRA LATINI, ANA CARLA. The GATA3 gene is involved in leprosy susceptibility in Brazilian patients. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION, v. 39, p. 194-200, APR 2016. Web of Science Citations: 1.