Choi Eun Hwa, Nutman Thomas B, Chanock Stephen J
Section of Genomic Variation, Pediatric Oncology Branch, Advanced Technology Center, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 8717 Grovemont Circle, Gaithersburg, MD 20892-4605, USA.
Expert Rev Mol Diagn. 2003 May;3(3):367-74. doi: 10.1586/14737159.3.3.367.
The generation of a draft sequence of a the human genome has provided the opportunity to characterize human diversity, even as it pertains to differences in host response to parasitic infection with organisms that cause lymphatic filariasis, malaria and schistosomiasis. Worldwide, human infection with filarial pathogens represents a significant cause of morbidity throughout the tropics. In particular, epidemiologic evidence suggests that a genetic component contributes to susceptibility and possibly the outcomes of filarial infection. Different approaches can be applied in population-based studies in areas where filarial infection is endemic, such as genome linkage scans and candidate gene analysis for the purpose of identifying genetic risk factors. This review summarizes recent advances in our understanding of genetic contributions to human lymphatic filariasis and addresses the immediate questions facing the field. It is anticipated that the identification of susceptibility genes in filarial infection could provide new insights into therapeutic strategies, including pharmacological intervention and vaccine development, and influence public health measures to control or avert infection.
人类基因组草图序列的产生为描述人类多样性提供了契机，即便这种多样性涉及宿主对导致淋巴丝虫病、疟疾和血吸虫病的寄生虫感染所产生的反应差异。在全球范围内，人体感染丝虫病原体是整个热带地区发病的一个重要原因。特别是，流行病学证据表明，遗传因素在丝虫感染的易感性以及可能的感染结果中发挥作用。在丝虫感染流行的地区，可以在基于人群的研究中采用不同方法，例如进行基因组连锁扫描和候选基因分析，以确定遗传风险因素。本综述总结了我们在理解遗传因素对人类淋巴丝虫病的影响方面的最新进展，并探讨了该领域面临的紧迫问题。预计识别丝虫感染中的易感基因可为治疗策略提供新见解，包括药物干预和疫苗研发，并影响控制或避免感染的公共卫生措施。
