Abstract
This study investigated whether polymorphisms of the MICA (major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related gene A) gene are associated with eye lesions due to Toxoplasma gondii infection in a group of immunocompetent patients from southeastern Brazil. The study enrolled 297 patients with serological diagnosis of toxoplasmosis. Participants were classified into two distinct groups after conducting fundoscopic exams according to the presence (n = 148) or absence (n = 149) of ocular scars/lesions due to toxoplasmosis. The group of patients with scars/lesions was further subdivided into two groups according to the type of the ocular manifestation observed: primary (n = 120) or recurrent (n = 28). Genotyping of the MICA and HLA alleles was performed by the polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific oligonucleotide technique (PCR-SSO; One Lambda®) and the MICA-129 polymorphism (rs1051792) was identified by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR-RFLP). Significant associations involving MICA polymorphisms were not found. Although the MICA*002~HLA-B*35 haplotype was associated with increased risk of developing ocular toxoplasmosis (P-value = 0.04; OR = 2.20; 95% CI = 1.05–4.60), and the MICA*008~HLA-C*07 haplotype was associated with protection against the development of manifestations of ocular toxoplasmosis (P-value = 0.009; OR: 0.44; 95% CI: 0.22–0.76), these associations were not statistically significant after adjusting for multiple comparisons. MICA polymorphisms do not appear to influence the development of ocular lesions in patients diagnosed with toxoplasmosis in this study population.
Highlights
Ocular toxoplasmosis, characterized by intraocular inflammation, is the most common clinical manifestation of toxoplasmosis, the infectious disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii [1]
This study investigated whether the MICA alleles and the 129 polymorphism in exon 3 of the MICA gene are associated with the development of eye lesions resulting from T. gondii infection in a group of immunocompetent patients from southeastern Brazil
No significant differences were found in the distribution of MICA alleles between the groups of patients with and without ocular toxoplasmosis or between those with primary or recurrent clinical manifestations of the disease, so that the distribution of these alleles is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in the study population
Summary
Ocular toxoplasmosis, characterized by intraocular inflammation, is the most common clinical manifestation of toxoplasmosis, the infectious disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii [1]. Lesions originate both from congenital infection and from infections acquired after birth [2,3]. MICA Polymorphisms in Ocular Toxoplasmosis de São José do Rio Preto (FAPERP) to FHAM. FBF RCS APB APSC were not supported by grants. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript
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