HLA and malaria in four colombian ethnic groups

HLA e malária em quatro diferentes grupos étnicos da Colômbia

ORIGINAL ARTICLES

HLA and malaria in four colombian ethnic groups (¹)

HLA e malária em quatro diferentes grupos étnicos da Colômbia

Marcos Restrepo^I; William Rojas^II; Fabiola Montoya^II; Asirid E. Montoya^II; Deborah V. Dawson^III

^ICorporación para Investigaciones Biológicas (CIB), Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe, Apartado Aéreo 7378 Medellin, Colombia

^IIDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, U.S.A.

^{Address for correspondence}

SUMMARY

HLA antigens and their relationship with malaria infection were studied in four different ethnic groups in Colombia (South America): two groups of indians (Kunas and Katios), one of negroes and a group of mixed ancestry. A total of 965 persons were studied, 415 with malaria and 550 as controls. HLA-A,B, and C antigen frequencies in the four groups are reported. The association of each HLA antigen with malaria infection due to P. vivax and to P. falciparum was evaluated. Negroes, Kunas and Katios indians variously lack from 6 to 9 of the HLA antigens found in the mixed group. In the designated ethnic groups, antigens B5, B13, B15, Cw2 and Cw4 showed borderline association with malaria infection. However, in the mixed ethnic group, statistically significant associations were found with malaria infection and the presence of A9, Aw19, B17, B35, and Z98 (a B21-B45: crossreacting determinant) with few differences when P. vivax infection and P. falciparum infection were considered individually. This finding may represent a lack of general resistance to malaria in the group that harbors antigens of Caucasian origin. These individuals have been in direct and permanent contact with malaria only in the past 65 years. In contrast, indians, both Kunas and Katios, and Negroes have lived for centuries in malaria endemic areas, and it is possible that a natural selection system has developed through which only those individuals able to initiate an acute immune response to malaria have survived.

Key words: HLA and Malaria

RESUMO

Foram estudados os antigenos HLA e a relação destes com a infecção malárica em 4 diferentes grupos étnicos da Colômbia (América do Sul); dois grupos de índios (Kunas e Katios), um grupo de negros e um grupo que apresentava ancestrais mistos. Foram estudadas 965 pessoas, das quais 415 com malária e 550 como controles. A freqüência dos antígenos HLA-A, B e C foram determinados nos quatro grupos estudados. A associação de cada antígeno HLA com a infecção por P. vivax e P. falciparum foi avaliada. Os antígenos HLA 6-9 encontrados no grupo de ancestrais mistos, de um modo geral não foram observados nos grupos de negros e índios (Kunas e Katios). Nos grupos étnicos mencionados, os antigenos B5, B13, B15, Cw2 e Cw4 apresentaram uma associação limítrofe com a infecção por malária. Entretanto, no grupo étnico de ancestrais mistos foi observada uma associação estatisticamente significativa com a infecção malárica, sendo que a presença de A9, Aw19, B17, B35 e Z98 (B21-B45: determinantes de reação cruzada) mostrou poucas diferenças quando as infecções por P. vivax e P. falciparum foram consideradas individualmente. Esse achado pode representar, de um modo geral, uma falta de resistência a malária no grupo portador de antigenos de origem caucasiana, os quais tem tido um contacto direto e permanente com a malária somente nos últimos 65 anos. Em contraste, os índios (Kunas e Katios) e os negros tem vivido durante séculos em áreas endêmicas para malária, é possível que um sistema de seleção natural tenha sido desenvolvido permitindo que somente aqueles indivíduos capazes de iniciar uma resposta imune à malária sobrevivam.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We want to express our special recognition to: Drs. Bernard Amos and Frances Ward from the Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology, Duke University for their assistance and advice; Patrulla Aérea Colombiana and Maurício Echavarria, medical student and pilot, that took us many times to the remote areas where part of the study was carried out.

Recebido para publicação em 19/9/1987.

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Address for correspondence:

Dr. Marcos Restrepo

Corporación para Investigaciones Biológicas (CIB)

Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe

Apartado Aéreo 7378 Medellin, Colombia

(1

) Supported by Grants from Colciencias, FES and Fundación para el Desarrollo de la Ciência y la Tecnologia, Banco de la República (Colombia). Statistical analysis supported by USPHS Research Grant GM 10356.

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  17 Feb 2011
• Date of issue
  Oct 1988

History

• Received
  19 Sept 1987