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Faber, J; Schuessler, T; Finn, A; Murdoch, C; Zenz, W; Habermehl, P; Meyer, CU; Zabel, BU; Schmitt, HJ; Zepp, F; Knuf, M.
Age-dependent association of human mannose-binding lectin mutations with susceptibility to invasive meningococcal disease in childhood
PEDIAT INF DIS J. 2007; 26(3): 243-246. Doi: 10.1097/01.inf.0000256751.76218.7c
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Co-authors Med Uni Graz: Zenz Werner
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Abstract:: Background: Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is an important factor of the innate immune system, and MBL-initiated complement activation is an important early defense mechanism against various bacterial infections, including invasive meningococcal disease. Methods: In a pediatric cohort (ages 2-215 months) with invasive meningococcal disease, we investigated the overall and age-stratified frequency of 3 MBL exon 1 variations (C154T, G161A, G170A), previously shown to result in markedly decreased MBL plasma concentrations, by allele specific fluorescent hybridization probe real-time PCR assays and direct sequencing. Healthy age-matched volunteers with the same ethnic background and no history of meningococcal disease served as a control group. Results: The overall frequency of a MBL exon 1 variant genotype was significantly higher in patients than in controls (31.8% vs. 8.2%, P < 0.001). In the patient group with disease onset less than 24 months of age, the prevalence of MBL structural variant genotype was further increased (39.3%; P < 0.001) and most pronounced in children with disease onset less than 12 months of age (57.1%; P < 0.001) when compared with healthy controls. Analysis of clinical severity and outcome revealed no significant difference between patients with wild-type and mutant alleles. Conclusions: Our data suggest that MBL exon I structural variants are significantly associated with susceptibility to childhood meningococcal disease in an age-dependent manner.
Find related publications in this database (Keywords): innate immunity; mannose-binding lectin; meningococcal disease