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Published on: July 15, 2011
Interleukin-17A in Egyptian leprosy patients: a clinical, genetic, and biochemical study
Azza Gaber Antar Farag1, Azza Zagloul Labeeb2, Amany Nagy Abdalla Gerges3
1Dermatology, Andrology and STDs Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Egypt.
Background:
Leprosy represents a long-term communicable disease resulting from Mycobacterium leprae infection. IL-17A is one of the pro-inflammatory cytokines that protects humans against many fungal and bacterial pathogens.
Objective:
To investigate IL-17A (rs2275913) gene polymorphism and its circulating level in leprosy patients, and to correlate the detected results with different clinical aspects of leprosy in the investigated patients.
Methods:
60 patients with leprosy, and 29 age and sex-matched volunteers were investigated for IL-17A serum level and IL-17A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) by ELISA and RFLP-PCR respectively.
Results:
IL-17A serum level was significantly higher in leprosy patients than in controls (p=0.034), and in TL than LL (p=0.017). IL-17A (rs2275913 A/G) G allele and GG genotype were associated significantly with LL (p=0.005and 0.001 respectively). IL-17A (rs2275913 A/G) AG genotype carriers demonstrated the highest IL-17A serum levels; however, its lowest levels were found in IL-17A (rs2275913 A/G) AA genotype carriers (p=0.005). Grade 2 disability (p=0.030) and positive slit skin smear (SSS) (p=0.005) were significantly associated with IL-17A (rs2275913 A/G) GG genotype.
Study Limitations:
The small number of studied subjects.
Conclusions:
IL -17A may have a pivotal role in leprosy pathogenesis. IL-17A (rs2275913) GG genotype plus G allele might be related to the development of LL in the Egyptian population.
