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Low MBL ‐associated serine protease 2 ( MASP ‐2) levels correlate with urogenital schistosomiasis in Nigerian children
Author(s) -
Ojurongbe Olusola,
Antony Justin S.,
Van Tong Hoang,
Meyer Christian G.,
Akindele Akeem A.,
SinaAgbaje Olawumi R.,
Kremsner Peter G.,
Velavan Thirumalaisamy P.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
tropical medicine and international health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.056
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1365-3156
pISSN - 1360-2276
DOI - 10.1111/tmi.12551
Subject(s) - serine protease , proteases , schistosomiasis , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , immunology , protease , biochemistry , helminths , enzyme
Objectives The human mannose‐binding lectin ( MBL ) and ficolins ( FCN ) are involved in pathogen recognition in the first line of defence. They support activation of the complement lectin cascade in the presence of MBL ‐associated serine protease 2 ( MASP ‐2), a protein that cleaves the C4 and C2 complement components. Recent studies found that distinct MBL 2 and FCN 2 promoter variants and their corresponding serum levels are associated with relative protection from urogenital schistosomiasis. Methods We investigated the contribution of MASP ‐2 levels and MASP 2 polymorphisms in a Nigerian study group, of 163 individuals infected with Schistosoma haematobium and 183 healthy subjects. Results MASP ‐2 serum levels varied between younger children (≤12 years) and older children (>12 years) and adults ( P = 0.0001). Younger children with a patent infection had significantly lower MASP ‐2 serum levels than uninfected children ( P = 0.0074). Older children and adults (>12 years) with a current infection had higher serum MASP ‐2 levels than controls ( P = 0.032). MBL serum levels correlated positively with MASP ‐2 serum levels ( P = 0.01). MASP 2 secretor haplotypes were associated with MASP ‐2 serum levels in healthy subjects. The heterozygous MASP 2 p.P126L variant was associated with reduced serum MASP ‐2 levels ( P = 0.01). Conclusions The findings indicate that higher MASP ‐2 serum levels are associated with relative protection from urogenital schistosomiasis in Nigerian children.