ABSTRACT
Hereditary angiooedema (HAE) is a life-threatening disease with poor clinical phenotype correlation with its causal mutation in the C1 inhibitor (SERPING1) gene. It is characterized by substantial symptom variability even in affected members of the same family. Therefore, it is likely that genetic factors outside the SERPING1 gene have an influence on disease manifestation. In this study, functional polymorphisms in genes with a possible disease-modifying effect, B1 and B2 bradykinin receptors (BDKR1, BDKR2), angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and mannose-binding lectin (MBL2), were analysed in 36 unrelated HAE patients. The same analysis was carried out in 69 HAE patients regardless of their familial relationship. No significant influence of the studied polymorphisms in the BDKR1, BDKR2, ACE and MBL2 genes on overall disease severity, localization and severity of particular attacks, frequency of oedema episodes or age of disease onset was detected in either group of patients. Other genetic and/or environmental factors should be considered to be responsible for HAE clinical variability in Caucasians.
Subject(s)
Angioedemas, Hereditary/physiopathology , Mannose-Binding Lectin/genetics , Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A/genetics , Receptor, Bradykinin B1/genetics , Receptor, Bradykinin B2/genetics , Adolescent , Adult , Angioedemas, Hereditary/genetics , Czech Republic , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Phenotype , Young AdultABSTRACT
The prevalence of hepatitis G virus (HGV) in the serum of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) recipients was studied and risk related to HGV positivity was considered. Although its pathogenicity is unclear, HGV is likely to cause liver disease or lymphoproliferation. Twenty (23%) of 86 tested MG patients were HGV RNA positive. Of the HGV positive patients, three (15%) showed mild elevation of liver enzymes and one (5%) was diagnosed with chronic lymphatic leukaemia prior to the institution of MG replacement. It can be concluded that the HGV prevalence among IVIG recipients is high but is not associated with signs of either liver disease or lymphoproliferation.
