The effect of HLA-DP gene polymorphisms in Plasmodium Vivax-induced malaria susceptibility

Abstract

Plasmodium vivax is the second most common Plasmodium parasite causing clinically serious symptoms and death from malaria. It is an important cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in Asia, the Middle East, and South America. Human leukocyte antigen molecules are responsible for presenting foreign antigens to T cells. Polymorphisms in HLA genes affect antigen presentation. HLA alleles involved in the presentation of P. vivax antigens affect the antibody response. The present study aimed to reveal the relationship of rs3077 and rs9277535 polymorphisms in HLA-DP genes with malaria caused by P. vivax for the first time in the worldwide. In the present research, rs3077 and rs9277535 polymorphisms were investigated in a case–control study of 124 patients with P. vivax-induced malaria and 211 healthy persons by using a real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The results showed that the G alleles of rs3077 and rs9277535 polymorphisms were detected as protective alleles, while the A alleles of both polymorphisms increase the risk of susceptibility to malaria disease. The results of the present study showed that both polymorphisms have a major effect on the susceptibility to malaria caused by P. vivax. We recommend that this study should be conducted in a different population with a larger sample size to confirm our results.

Keywords:

• Plasmodium vivax
• HLA polymorphisms
• malaria

Acknowledgements

The authors thank to Prof. Dr. İsmail Soner KOLTAŞ (rest in peace). Additionally, the authors also thank all participants for their contribution to the study.

Authors’ contributions

Ersin AKGÖLLÜ made conception and design of this study as well as wrote the current manuscript, Mehtap DEMİRKAZIK analyzed of data and got legal permissions and collected data. Ramazan Bilgin took biological samples of the participants and conducted experimental studies.

Ethical approval

This work was ratified by the Çukurova University Ethics Committee in Turkey.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data sharing is not appropriate for ethical reasons.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.