RESUMO
Objective:To investigate the association between selenoprotein P (Sepp1) and Brucella infection at gene and protein levels. Methods:In this case-control study, 32 patients with chronic brucellosis (referred to as brucellosis) in Jiuyuan District and Bayan Obo Mining District of Baotou City from June to September 2019 were selected as brucellosis group, and 30 healthy people with the same epidemiological environment as the brucellosis group were selected as control group. The two groups were Han nationality. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of Sepp1 gene(rs7579) in 32 brucellosis patients and 30 healthy controls were tested by amplification refractory mutation system-PCR (ARMS-PCR). And the Sepp1 protein content was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Results:Thirty-two cases of brucellosis group, including 6 females and 26 males, aged (50.312 ± 5.035) years; 30 cases of control group, including 4 females and 26 males, aged (49.994 ± 5.098) years. There were no significant differences in sex ratio and age between the two groups (χ 2=0.336, t = 1.744, P > 0.05). There were no significant differences in the frequency distribution of G, A allele and GG, GA, and AA genotypes of rs7579 locus of Sepp1 gene between brucellosis group and control group (χ 2=0.263, 0.942, P > 0.05). In stratified analysis, there was a statistically significant difference in the frequency distribution of genotypes between female brucellosis group and control group (GG: 0/6, GA: 2/6, AA: 4/6; GG: 4/4, GA: 0/4, AA: 0/4, P < 0.05). And the level of Sepp1 protein in brucellosis group was significantly lower than that in control group (13.71±0.32, 19.26±0.69, t = 20.316, P < 0.05), low level of Sepp1 was a risk factor for brucellosis ( OR = 1.512, 95% CI: 1.290 - 1.687). Conclusions:The SNP of Sepp1 gene (rs7579) plays a role in Brucella infection, G allele may be the protective factor for women. The low level of Sepp1 protein is also associated with brucellosis.