Genetic variants in human BCL2L11 (BIM) are associated with ulcerative forms of Buruli ulcer

João Fevereiro; Alexandra G Fraga; Carlos Capela; Ghislain E Sopoh; Ange Dossou; Gilbert Adjimon Ayelo; Maria João Peixoto; Cristina Cunha; Agostinho Carvalho; Fernando Rodrigues; Jorge Pedrosa

doi:10.1080/22221751.2021.1878936

Genetic variants in human BCL2L11 (BIM) are associated with ulcerative forms of Buruli ulcer

Emerg Microbes Infect. 2021 Dec;10(1):223-225. doi: 10.1080/22221751.2021.1878936.

Authors

João Fevereiro^{1

2}, Alexandra G Fraga^{1

2}, Carlos Capela^{1

2}, Ghislain E Sopoh^{3

4}, Ange Dossou³, Gilbert Adjimon Ayelo³, Maria João Peixoto^{1

2}, Cristina Cunha^{1

2}, Agostinho Carvalho^{1

2}, Fernando Rodrigues^{1

2}, Jorge Pedrosa^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho Braga, Portugal.
² ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
³ Centre de Dépistage et de Traitement de l'Ulcère de Buruli d'Allada, Ministry of Health, Allada, Bénin.
⁴ Institut Régional de Santé Publique, University of Abomey-Calavi, Ouidah, Bénin.

Abstract

Buruli ulcer (BU) is a devastating skin mycobacterial infection characterized by extensive cell death, which was previously suggested to be mediated by Bcl2-like protein 11 (BIM, encoded by the BCL2L11 gene). We here report the association of genetic variants in BCL2L11 with ulcerative forms of the disease in a cohort of 618 Beninese individuals. Our results show that regulation of apoptosis in humans contributes to BU lesions associated with worse prognosis, prompting for further investigation on the implementation of novel methods for earlier identification of at-risk patients.

Keywords: Mycobacterium ulcerans; BIM; Candidate gene; Single Nucleotide Polymorphism; rs13421194.

Publication types

Letter

MeSH terms

Bcl-2-Like Protein 11 / genetics*
Bcl-2-Like Protein 11 / metabolism
Buruli Ulcer / genetics*
Buruli Ulcer / metabolism
Buruli Ulcer / microbiology
Cohort Studies
Genetic Predisposition to Disease
Genetic Variation
Humans
Mycobacterium ulcerans / physiology
Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

Substances

BCL2L11 protein, human
Bcl-2-Like Protein 11

Grants and funding

This work has been funded by National funds, through the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) [UIDB/50026/2020, UIDP/50026/2020, Infect-ERA/0002/2015, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-031312]; and by the Norte’s Portugal Regional Operational Programme 2020, under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund [NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000013 and NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000023]. Individual support was provided by FCT to J.F. [PD/BD/113699/2015], to A.G.F. [DL 57/2016], M.J.P. [POCI-01-0145-FEDER-031312], to C.C [CEECIND/04058/2018] and to A.C [CEECIND/03628/2017]. Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia.