Human Leukocyte Antigen and Cytokine Gene Variants as Predictors of Recurrent Chlamydia trachomatis Infection in High-Risk Adolescents

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 191; no. 7; pp. 1084 - 1092
• Main Authors: Wang, Chengbin, Tang, Jianming, Geisler, William M., Crowley-Nowick, Peggy A., Wilson, Craig M., Kaslow, Richard A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL The University of Chicago Press 01.04.2005; University of Chicago Press; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Bacteria; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Bodily Secretions - immunology; Chlamydia; Chlamydia infections; Chlamydia Infections - epidemiology; Chlamydia Infections - genetics; Chlamydia Infections - immunology; Chlamydia trachomatis; Cytokines; Cytokines - genetics; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetic Markers; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Haplotypes; HIV 1; HLA antigens; HLA Antigens - genetics; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human immunodeficiency virus 1; Humans; Infections; Infectious diseases; Interleukin-10 - genetics; Interleukin-10 - secretion; Male; Medical genetics; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Recurrence; Human; HLA-System; Chlamydiaceae; Microbiology; Cytokine; Chlamydia trachomatis; Infection; Gene; Adolescent; Bacteriosis; Chlamydiales; Bacteria; Chlamydiosis
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1086/428592

Antigen presentation and immune activation are essential to the effective control of infectious diseases. In 485 North American adolescents at high risk for genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection, we found 2 human leukocyte antigen variants (DRB1*03-DQB1*04 and DQB1*06) to be associated with recurrent Chlamydia infection (adjusted relative odds [RO], >2.0; P<.01, for both variants). A G-C-C haplotype corresponding to variants at IL10 (encoding interleukin-10 [IL-10]) promoter positions −1082, −819, and −592 was underrepresented in individuals with recurrent infection (RO, 0.59; P=.046). These genetic associations were independent of nongenetic factors, including number of sex partners, race, sex, duration of follow-up, and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 seropositivity. Consistent with the observed IL10 association, cervical secretions in female adolescents without the IL10 G-C-C haplotype had elevated IL-10 concentrations after Chlamydia infection, which may reflect involvement of a Chlamydia-specific mechanism for genetically mediated, differential IL-10 expression in the genital tract