Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor II Gene Polymorphism and Association with Plasmodium falciparum Malaria in Badagry, Lagos, Nigeria
Onyinye Celestina Okoyenta *
Biochemistry Department, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, P.M.B 12003, Lagos, Nigeria and Biochemistry and Nutrition Department, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), No.6 Edmund Crescent Street, Yaba, P.M.B 2013, Lagos, Nigeria.
Ngozi Awa Imaga
Biochemistry Department, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, P.M.B 12003, Lagos, Nigeria.
Oluwagbemiga Olanrewaju Aina
Biochemistry and Nutrition Department, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), No.6 Edmund Crescent Street, Yaba, P.M.B 2013, Lagos, Nigeria.
Olusola Ajibaye
Biochemistry and Nutrition Department, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), No.6 Edmund Crescent Street, Yaba, P.M.B 2013, Lagos, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Host genetic factors, host-parasite interactions, parasite genetic diversity, and/or environmental influences have been implicated in the molecular basis of susceptibility and resistance to Plasmodium parasite infections. Host Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor II (TNFR II), a 75/80kDa protein encoded by the tnfr II gene has been identified as an adhesion protein for Plasmodium falciparum parasite. Tnfr II gene exhibits functional polymorphism on exon 6 among Caucasians with a potential effect on the ligand-binding function of TNFR II. This study aimed to investigate tnfr II gene polymorphisms on exon 6 and its relationship to Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Badagry, Lagos Nigeria. Genotyping was done using PCR-Restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. A total of 68 blood samples comprising of 49 controls and 19 malaria cases were genotyped. Result revealed both the wild-type (T587) and a mutant-type (T→587G) genotypes of tnfr II. Generally, the analysis showed that the variant-type had a lower prevalence rate (11.76%) than the wild-type (88.24%). The frequencies of wild-type were highest in the controls (85.70%) while the frequencies of the mutant-type were lower in the malaria cases (5.30%). However, the Chi-square test showed no statistical significant difference (p value = 0.30) between the distribution of the genotypes in malaria cases and controls. This study indicates that polymorphism on exon 6 of tnfr II gene was not associated with susceptibility or resistance to malaria infection in Badagry, Nigeria. Further researches with a larger sample size are needed to clarify this subject.
Keywords: Gene polymorphisms, tumor necrosis factor receptors, malaria, tnfr II genes, Plasmodium falciparum, genotypes, parasite antigens, genetic factors