Affiliations: Department of Biotechnology, Panjab University,
Chandigarh, India | Department of Pulmonary Medicine, PGIMER, Chandigarh,
India | Department of Biotechnology, S.G.G.S. College,
Chandigarh, India | Department of Biotechnology, G.G.D.S.D. College, Chandigarh, India
Note: [] Corresponding author: Dr. Jagtar Singh, Department of
Biotechnology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. Tel.: +91 172 253 4065;
Fax: +91 172 2541407; E-mail: jagtar@rediffmail.com
Abstract: Background: High serum MBL level as well as polymorphisms in the
mannose-binding lectin 2 (MBL2) gene resulting in MBL deficiency are involved
in the mechanism of a number of non-infectious diseases such as asthma,
conferring either risk or protection in different population studies. MBL being
the first reactant of the MBL pathway is also a major determinant of the fate
of the anaphylatoxins such as C3a and C5a, which are also pro-inflammatory
mediators. The MBL2 gene polymorphisms thus control the serum levels of MBL as
well as C3a and C5a. Objective: This is the first case-control study conducted in India,
investigating the role of MBL2 codon 54 A/B polymorphism in asthma
pathogenesis. Methods: A case-control study was performed with a total of 992
adult subjects, including 410 adult asthmatics and 582 healthy controls from
regions of North India. The MBL2 codon 54 A/B polymorphism was genotyped by
PCR-RFLP. Results: Statistical analysis for the codon 54 polymorphism revealed
that the wild (A) allele was significantly associated with asthma with OR=1.9,
95% CI (1.4–2.4), and p< 0.001. Conclusion: The MBL2 codon 54 A/B polymorphism is significantly
associated with asthma and its phenotypic traits as the wild (A/A) genotype
confers a significant risk towards the disease in the studied North Indian
population.
Keywords: Asthma, mannose-binding lectin 2 (MBL2), anaphylatoxins, C3a, C5a, MBL2 codon 54 A/B polymorphism, North Indian population
