Evidence for a cluster of genes on chromosome 17q11-q21 controlling susceptibility to tubercolosis and leprosy in Brazilians

Abstract

The region of conserved synteny on mouse chromosome 11/human 17q11-q21 is known to carry a susceptibility gene(s) for intramacrophage pathogens. The region is rich in candidates including NOS2A, CCL2/MCP-1, CCL3/MIP-1α, CCL4/MIP-1β, CCL5/RANTES, CCR7, STAT3 and STAT5A/5B. To examine the region in man, we studied 92 multicase tuberculosis (627 individuals) and 72 multicase leprosy (372 individuals families from Brazil. Multipoint nonparametric analysis (ALLEGRO) using 16 microsatellites shows two peaks of linkage for leprosy at D17S250 (ZIr score 2.34; P=0.01) and D17S1795 (ZIr 2.67; P=0.004) and a single peak for tuberculosis at D17S250 (ZIr 2.04; P=0.02). Combined analysis shows significant..