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Segregation of HLA/TNF region is linked to leprosy clinical spectrum in families displaying mixed leprosy subtypes

Genes & Immunity volume 4, pages 67–73 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

Each year an estimated 600 000 new leprosy cases are diagnosed worldwide. The spectrum of the disease varies widely from limited tuberculoid forms to extensive lepromatous forms. A measure of the risk to develop lepromatous forms of leprosy is provided by the extent of skin reactivity to lepromin (Mitsuda reaction). To address a postulated oligogenic control of leprosy pathogenesis, we investigated in the present study linkage of leprosy susceptibility, leprosy clinical subtypes, and extent of the Mitsuda reaction to six chromosomal regions carrying known or suspected leprosy susceptibility loci. The only significant result obtained was linkage of leprosy clinical subtype to the HLA/TNF region on human chromosome 6p21 (Pcorrected=0.00126). In addition, we established that within the same family different HLA/TNF haplotypes segregate into patients with different leprosy subtypes directly demonstrating the importance of this genome region for the control of clinical leprosy presentation.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Action Incitative Blanche, Fondation BNP-Paribas, Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale and Fondation Schlumberger (AA and LA), and by grant MT 15662 from the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) to ES. MTM is supported by a graduate fellowship of the Brazilian Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES). ES is a CIHR Career Investigator.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. McGill Centre for the Study of Host Resistance, and Departments of Human Genetics, Medicine and Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, PQ, Canada

    M T Mira, T di Pietrantonio & E Schurr

  2. INSERM U550, Human Genetics of Infectious Disease, Necker Medical School, University Paris 5, Paris, France

    A Alcais & L Abel

  3. Hospital for Dermato-Venereology, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    N V Thuc & M C Phuong

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  1. M T Mira
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  2. A Alcais
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  3. T di Pietrantonio
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  6. L Abel
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Correspondence to E Schurr.

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Mira, M., Alcais, A., di Pietrantonio, T. et al. Segregation of HLA/TNF region is linked to leprosy clinical spectrum in families displaying mixed leprosy subtypes. Genes Immun 4, 67–73 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.gene.6363911

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