Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 12, 2026

Genotyping of Sea Anemone during Early Development
07:04

Genotyping of Sea Anemone during Early Development

Published on: May 13, 2019

6.1K

Mannose-binding lectin genotypes: lack of association with susceptibility to thoracic empyema

Stephen J Chapman1, Fredrik O Vannberg, Chiea C Khor

  • 1The Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, UK. schapman@well.ox.ac.uk

BMC Medical Genetics
|January 19, 2010
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) deficiency does not appear to increase the risk of developing thoracic empyema, a severe lung infection. This study found no link between MBL genotype and susceptibility to this serious pneumonia complication.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is an innate immune protein with a debated role in severe respiratory infections.
  • Thoracic empyema, a complication of pneumonia, has high mortality and poorly understood pathogenesis.
  • Genetic factors influencing thoracic empyema susceptibility are emerging, but MBL's role is unexamined.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between mannose-binding lectin (MBL) genotypic deficiency and susceptibility to thoracic empyema.
  • To explore if MBL deficiency correlates with specific empyema subtypes or clinical outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Compared frequencies of six functional MBL polymorphisms in 170 European thoracic empyema patients and 225 healthy controls.
  • Analyzed MBL genotype associations with Gram-positive, pneumococcal empyema, mortality, and surgical intervention.

Main Results:

  • No significant association was found between MBL genotypic deficiency and overall susceptibility to thoracic empyema (P = 0.87).
  • MBL deficiency did not correlate with susceptibility to Gram-positive or pneumococcal empyema subgroups.
  • MBL genotypic deficiency was not associated with increased mortality or the need for surgery.

Conclusions:

  • MBL genotypic deficiency does not appear to be a risk factor for developing thoracic empyema in the studied European population.
  • The findings suggest MBL's role in host defense against thoracic empyema is likely minimal.

More Related Videos

Screening Cotton Genotypes for Reniform Nematode Resistance06:28

Screening Cotton Genotypes for Reniform Nematode Resistance

Published on: May 2, 2019

11.7K
High-resolution Melting PCR for Complement Receptor 1 Length Polymorphism Genotyping: An Innovative Tool for Alzheimer's Disease Gene Susceptibility Assessment07:26

High-resolution Melting PCR for Complement Receptor 1 Length Polymorphism Genotyping: An Innovative Tool for Alzheimer's Disease Gene Susceptibility Assessment

Published on: July 18, 2017

12.3K

Related Concept Videos

The Equilibrium Binding Constant and Binding Strength02:18

The Equilibrium Binding Constant and Binding Strength

The equilibrium binding constant (Kb) quantifies the strength of a protein-ligand interaction. Kb can be calculated as follows when the reaction is at equilibrium:
15.2K
Ligand Binding and Linkage00:49

Ligand Binding and Linkage

Allosteric proteins have more than one ligand binding site; the binding of a ligand to any of these sites influences the binding of ligands to the other sites. When a protein is allosteric, its binding sites are called coupled or linked.  In the case of enzymes, the site that binds to the substrate is known as the active site and the other site is known as the regulatory site. When a ligand binds to the regulatory site, this leads to conformational changes in the protein that can influence...
5.6K
Thoracic Aorta01:15

Thoracic Aorta

The thoracic section of the aorta begins at the T5 vertebra and extends to the T12 level at the diaphragm, initially progressing through the mediastinum to the left of the spinal column. Throughout its course in the thoracic segment, the thoracic aorta emits various offshoots known collectively as visceral and parietal branches. The branches that predominantly supply blood to visceral organs are termed visceral branches and include bronchial, pericardial, esophageal, and mediastinal arteries,...
1.8K
The Thoracic Cage: Sternum01:17

The Thoracic Cage: Sternum

The thoracic or rib cage forms the body's thorax (chest) portion. Its primary function in the body is to protect vital organs in the thoracic cavity, such as the heart and the lungs. It consists of 12 pairs of ribs with their costal cartilages and the sternum. The ribs are anchored posteriorly to the 12 thoracic vertebrae (T1-T12).
The sternum is the elongated bony structure on the anterior side of the thoracic cage. It consists of three parts: the manubrium, the body, and the xiphoid...
6.3K
The Thoracic Cage: Ribs01:20

The Thoracic Cage: Ribs

Ribs are curved, flattened bones forming the thoracic cavity wall with the thoracic muscles. There are 12 pairs of thoracic ribs. The posterior ends of all the ribs articulate with the T1–T12 thoracic vertebrae. In contrast,the anterior ends of most ribs attach to the sternum via their costal cartilages.
Parts of a Typical Rib
A typical rib has a head, neck, and body. The posterior end of the rib is called the head, followed by a narrow neck. The head articulates primarily with the costal...
9.0K
Magnetic Susceptibility and Permeability01:31

Magnetic Susceptibility and Permeability

In linear magnetic materials, like paramagnets and diamagnets, magnetization is proportional to the magnetic field intensity. The constant of proportionality, a dimensionless number, is called magnetic susceptibility. The value of the susceptibility depends on the type of material.
When diamagnetic materials are placed under an external magnetic field, the moments opposite to the field are induced. Hence, the susceptibility for diamagnets has a minimal negative value of 10-5–10-6. Since...
2.4K