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Serological and Molecular Study of the Duffy Blood Group among Malarial Endemic Region Residents in Brazil

ABSTRACT

Background:

The atypical chemokine receptor 1 (ACKR1) gene encodes the Duffy blood group antigens in two allelic forms: FY*A (FY*01) and FY*B (FY*02), which define the Fy(a+b-), Fy(a-b+), and Fy(a+b+) phenotypes. FY*BES (FY*02N.01) is a single T to C substitution at nucleotide -67 that prevents the FY*B from being expressed in red blood cells (RBCs).

Methods:

We evaluated 250 residents from a Brazilian malarial endemic region (RsMR). All individuals were phenotyped for Fya and Fyb antigens and genotyped for FY*A, FY*B, FY*B SE , and FY*B weak alleles.

Results:

Among the 250 individuals, 209 (83.6%) reported previous malaria infection, and 41 (16.4%) did not. The Fy(a+b+) phenotype was present in 97/250 (38.8%), while the Fy(a-b-) was present in 7/250 (2.8%). The FY*A/FY*B was found in 130/250 (52%) and the FY*A/FY*A in 45/250 (18%). The c.1-67>TC was present, in homozygosity, in 11/250 (4.4%). Among 34 individuals with the Fy(a+b-) and FYA*/FYB* mutations, 4/34 (11.8%) had homozygosity for the c.1-67T>C. One individual presented the Fy(a+b-), FY*A/FY*B, and c.1-67T>C in homozygosis, whereas the other presented the Fy(a+b-), FY*A/FY*A, and c.1-67T>C in heterozygosis.

Conclusions:

We reported a low prevalence of the Fy(a-b-) in persons who had previously been infected with Plasmodium vivax (67.5%). We observed that 102/141 (72.3%) individuals expressing the Fyb antigen had a P. vivax infection, indicating the importance of the Fyb antigen, silenced by a c.1-67T>C mutation in homozygosis, in preventing the P. vivax infection. We showed that the c.1-67T>C mutation in the FY*A did not silence the FY*A expression on RBCs.

Keywords:
Duffy blood group; Malaria; Blood donors; Genotype

INTRODUCTION

Malaria is a serious public health issue in Brazil, with roughly 145,000 cases recorded in 2014. The majority of occurrences occur in the Brazilian Amazonia (Amazon biome), a malaria-endemic region11. Tauil PL, Daniel-Ribeiro CT. Some aspects of epidemiology and control ofmalaria in Brazil. Rev Iber Parasitol. 1998;58(3-4):163-7..

However, recent migrations from the Amazonian region or other nations to non-Amazonian regions have resulted in secondary imported epidemics (i.e., introduced malaria)22. Pina-Costa AD, Brasil P, Santi SMD, Araujo MPD, Suárez-Mutis MC, Oliveira-Ferreira J, et al. Malaria in Brazil: what happens outside the Amazonianendemic region. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2014;109(5):618-33..

Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium falciparum, and Plasmodium malaria are the three principal Plasmodium species linked to native human malaria cases in Brazil33. Boletim Epidemiológico Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde 2015. Malária: Monitoramento dos casos no Brasil em 2014. Ministério da Saúde. 2015;(46) No 25. ISSN 2358-9450.

The atypical chemokine receptor 1 (ACKR1), formerly known as Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC), is a minor blood group antigen that functions as both a chemokine receptor and a receptor for the malaria parasite P. vivax44. Lee JS, Frevert CW, Wurfel MM, Peiper SC, Wong VA, Ballman KK, et al. Duffy antigen facilitates movement of chemokine across endothelium in vitro and promotes neutrophil transmigration in vitro. J. Immunol. 2003;170(10):5244-51.. Four alleles, five phenotypes, and five antigens comprise the Duffy system. Fya and Fyb are antithetical antigens encoded by the co-dominant FY*A (FY*01) and FY*B (FY*02) genes. The minimal nucleotide polymorphism c.125G>A (rs12075) distinguishes these variants55. Iwamoto S, Li J, Omi T, Ikemoto S, Kajii E. Identification of a novel exon and spliced form of Duffy mRNA that is the predominant transcript in both erythroid and postcapillary venule endothelium. Blood. 1996;87(1):378-85.. The FY*A allele's base is guanine (G), while the FY*B allele's base is adenine (A). This missense mutation results in the addition of a glycine codon to the FY*A allele and an aspartic acid codon to the FY*B allele at position 42 of the main product (p.Gly42Asp), defining the Fy(a+b-), Fy(a-b+), and Fy(a+b+) phenotypes66. Chaudhuri A, Polyakova J, Zbrzezna V, Pogo AO. The coding seequence of Duffy blood group gene in humans and simians: restriction fragment length polymorphism, antibody and malarial parasite specificities, and expression. In nonerythroid tissues in Duffy-negative individuals . Blood. 1995;85(3):615-21..

FY*X is a recessive allele of the FY*B (FY*BWK) gene located at the Duffy locus. The gene does not encode the synthesis of a Duffy system-specific antigen. The Fybwk, also known as the Fyx antigen, functions as a low-expression Fyb antigen, and there is no known anti-Fybwk77. Chown B, Lewis M, Kaita H. The Duffy blood group system in Caucasians: Evidence for a new allele. Am J Hum Genet. 1965;17(5):384-9.. The Fybwk phenotype is caused by a single missense mutation in the FY*B gene's coding area, c.265C>T (rs34599082), which results in the amino acid change p.Arg89Cys in gp-Fy88. Chaudhuri A, Polyakova J, Zbrzezna V, Williams K, Gulati S, Pogo AO. Cloning of glycoprotein D cDNA which encodes the major subunit of the Duffy blood group system and the receptor for the Plasmodium vivax malaria parasite. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1993;90(22):10793-7.. Another mutation, c.298G>A (rs13962), has been found, resulting in the amino acid change p.Ala100Thr. Both variants are present in the FY*B and FY*A alleles99. Hoher G, Fiegenbaum M, Almeida S. Molecular basis of the Duffy blood group system. Blood. 2018;16(1):93-100.. The amino acid alteration occurs in the gp-first Fy's intracellular loop, resulting in ACKR18's relatively low membrane expression. Weak serological reactivity of the Fya antigen has already been found when the FY*A allele expresses the two mutations 265T and 298A.

The anti-Fya and anti-Fyb antibodies among Caucasians define the Fy(a+b-), Fy(a+b+), and Fy(a-b+) phenotypes that most of the time represent the genotypes FY*A/FY*A, FY*A/FY*B, and FY*B/FY*B, respectively1010. Lopez GH, Condon JA, Wilson B, Martin JR, Liew YW, Flower RL, et al. A novel FY*A allele with the 265T and 298A SNPs formerly associated exclusively with the FY*B allele and weak Fyb antigen expression: implication for genotyping interpretative algorithms. Vox Sang. 2015;108(1):52-57..

The null phenotype Fy(a-b-), also referred to as "erythrocyte silent" (ES; FyES), has been described more commonly in Afro-Americans and Occidental Africans but is uncommon in Caucasians1111. Sanger R, Race RR, Jack J. The Duffy blood groups of New York negrous: The phenotype Fy(a-b-). Br J Haematol. 1955;1(4):370-4.. Individuals with this phenotype are referred to as "Duffy-negative individuals," "ACKR1-null phenotype," "ACKR-1 null allele (FY-)," "Fy null allele," or "the null ES phenotype."1212. Tournamille C, Le Van Kim C, Gane P, Cartron JP, Colin Y. Molecular basis and PCR-DNA typing of th Fya/Fyb blood group polymorphism. Hum Genet 1995;95(4):407-10. The Fy(a-b-) phenotype is caused by homozygosity for the FY*B allele, which has the 5′ untranslated region point mutation c.1-67T>C (rs2814778). This mutation results in the formation of the FY*BES (FY*02N.01). Individuals with the Fy(a-b-) phenotype are homozygous for the c.1-67T>C polymorphism (C/C), which results in the absence of ACKR1 expression on FY- red blood cells (RBCs), whereas the heterozygous (T/C) and wild-type (T/T) states enable the expression of the Duffy molecule on FY+ RBCs 14. By inhibiting the binding location of the GATA-1 erythroid transcription factor, the C/C affects the ACKR1 promoter activity on RBCs1313. Tournamille C, Colin Y, Cartron JP, Le Van Kim C. Disruption of a GATA motif in the Duffy gene promoter abolishes erythroyde gene expression. In Duffy-negative individuals. Nat Gen. 1995;10(2):224-8.. The identical mutation has been identified on the FY*AES allele (FY*01N.01) in Papua New Guinea and Sudan residents, although only in the heterozygous state1414. Zimmerman PA, Woolley I, Masinde GL, Miller SM, McNamara DT, Hazlett F. Emergence of FY*A (null) in a Plasmodium vivax-endemic region of Papua New Guinea. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA . 1999;96(24):13973-7.,1515. Kempińska-Podhorodecka A, Knap O, Drozd A, Kaczmarczyk M, Parafiniuk M, Parczewski M, et al. Analysis for genotyping Duffy blood group in inhabitants of Sudan, the Fourth Cataract of he Nile. Malaria. J 2012;11:115-20.. Pisacka et al. identified a new mutation in the FY* promoter region at position c.1-69 that likewise disrupts the GATA motif and results in the silence of the FY*A allele, resulting in the Fy null phenotype1616. Písačka M, Marinov I, Králová M, Králová J, Kořánová M, Bohoněk M, et al. FY*A silencing by the GATA-motif variant FY*A (-69C) in a Caucasian family. Transfusion. 2015;55(11):2616-9..

The ACKR1 protein is required for the attachment of P. vivax merozoites and functions as bait and scavengers for chemostatic agonists1717. Chitnis CE, Chaudhuri A, Horuk R, Pogo AO, Miller LH. The domain on the Duffy blood group antigen for binding Plasmodium vivax and P. Knowlesi malarial parasites to erythrocytes. J Exp Med. 1996;184(4):1531-6.. The ACKR1-null allele confers resistance to malaria infections induced by P. vivax or P. falciparum1818. Hamblin MR, Di Rienzo A. Detection of the signature of natural selection in humans: evidence from the Duffy blood group locus. Am J Hum Genet . 2000; 66(5):1669-79.. The related protective benefits may account for the natural selection-driven propagation of the ACKR1-null FY- (C/C) polymorphism in malaria transmission zones such as Western, Central, and Southeastern Africa, where the prevalence rate approaches 100%1919. Hadley TJ, Peiper SC. From malaria to chemokine receptor: the emerging physiologic role of the Duffy blood group antigen. Blood. 1997;89(9):3077-91.. Recent investigations reveal that P. vivax malaria can be discovered in Duffy-positive and-negative or those whose DARC status is unknown2020. Ménard D, Barnadas C, Bouchier C, Henry-Halldin C, Gray LR, Ratsimbasoa A, et al. Plasmodium vivax clinical malaria is commonly observed in Dufy-negative Malagasy people. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA . 2010;107(13):5967-71.

21. Russo G, Faggioni G, Paganotti GM, Djeunang Dongho GB, Pomponi A, De Santis R, et al. Molecular evidence of Plasmodium vivax infection in Dufy negative symptomatic individuals from Dschang, West Cameroon. Malar J. 2017;16(1):74-84.

22. Mbenda HG, Das A. Molecular evidence of Plasmodium vivax mono and mixed malaria parasite infections in Dufy-negative native cameroonians. PLoS ONE. 2014;9(8):e0103262.

23. Mendes C, Dias F, Figueiredo J, Mora VG, Cano J, de Sousa B, et al. Dufy negative antigen is no longer a barrier to Plasmodium vivax-molecular evidences from the African West Coast (Angola and Equatorial Guinea). PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2011;5(6):e0001192.

24. Wurtz N, Lekweiry KM, Bogreau H, Pradines B, Rogier C, Boukhary AO, et al. Vivax malaria in Mauritania includes infection of a Dufy-negative individual. Malar J. 2011;10:336-41.

25. Ryan JR, Stoute JA, Amon J, Dunton RF, Mtalib R, Koros J, et al. Evidence for transmission of Plasmodium vivax among a Dufy antigen negative population in Western Kenya. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2006;75(4):575-81.

26. Cavasini CE, de Mattos LC, Couto AA, Couto VS, Gollino Y, Moretti LJ, et al. Duffy blood group gene polymorphisms among malaria vivax patients in four areas of the Brazilian Amazon region. Malar J. 2007;6: 167. doi: 10.1186/1475-2875-6-167
https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-6-167...
-2727. Carvalho TA, Queiroz MG, Cardoso GL, Diniz IG, Silva AN, Pinto AY, et al. Plasmodium vivax infection in Anajás, State of Pará: no differential resistance profile among Duffy-negative and Duffy-positive individuals. Malar J . 2012;11:430. doi: 10.1186/1475-2875-11-430
https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-11-430...
.

These data support the notion that this parasite is quickly developing, capable of invading erythrocytes via receptors different from those found in Duffy, which might significantly influence the existing distribution of P. vivax2323. Mendes C, Dias F, Figueiredo J, Mora VG, Cano J, de Sousa B, et al. Dufy negative antigen is no longer a barrier to Plasmodium vivax-molecular evidences from the African West Coast (Angola and Equatorial Guinea). PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2011;5(6):e0001192..

We investigated blood samples from the risk-standardized mortality rate (RsMR) in Brazil in this study. All participants were phenotyped for the Fya and Fyb antigens and genotyped for the FY*A, FY*B, FY*BSE, and FY*Bweak alleles, and then the promoter and codifying regions of the FY gene were sequenced. Additionally, we associated the phenotypes and genotypes of the RsMR with prior P. vivax infection.

METHODS

Study population

The study population consisted of 250 RsMR individuals in the city Presidente Figueiredo, located in the Amazon State, Brazil. This Amazonian city has an annual parasite index (API) of 301.65 malaria cases per 1,000 people, making it a malaria-risk region2828. Fundação Nacional da Saúde. Vigilância epidemiológica. Plano de intensificação das ações de controle da malaria na Amazônia Legal. 2000. Available at: (http://www.funasa.gov.br/epi/malaria/pdfs/plano.
http://www.funasa.gov.br/epi/malaria/pdf...
. All 250 individuals were interviewed regarding their previous status of malaria infection. They were all phenotyped for the Fya and Fyb antigens, genotyped for the FY*A, FY*B, FY*ES, and FY*Bweak alleles, and then sequenced for the FY* promoter and coding areas. The study was authorized by the ethical committee of the Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP).

Phenotyping and genotyping studies

All blood samples were phenotyped using the gel agglutination technique (DiaMed-Latino América S.A, Lagoa Santa, MG, Brasil) and genotyped for the FY* alleles using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique2929. Saiki RK, Gelfand DH, Stoffel S, Scharf SJ, Higuchi R, Horn G, et al. Primer-directed enzymatic amplification of DNA with a thermostable DNA polymerase. Science. 1988;239(4839):487-91.. The promoter and coding regions of the FY* were sequenced using the ABI Prism®Big Dye™ Terminator Cycle Sequencing Ready Reaction Kit (Perkin Elmer).

Statistical analysis

The statistical analysis was performed using Pearson’s chi-square test (x2). Statistical significance was defined as a P-value < 0.05.

RESULTS

The immunohematological results showed a predominance of the Fy(a+b+) and FY*A/FY*B combination among the residents of a malarial endemic region (RsER) [97/250 (38%)], The Fy(a-b+) phenotype was found in 7/250 (2.8%) RsER (Table 1).

TABLE 1:
Distribution of the Duffy blood group phenotype and genotype among residents of a malarial endemic region (RsER).

The comparison of phenotype and genotype combinations and their relation to previous infection by P. vivax were analyzed in 209 RsER. The frequency of the previous P. vivax infection was significantly different among the various phenotype and genotype combinations (P < 0.001) (Table 2). The Fy(a+b+)/FY*A/FY*B and Fy(a-b+)/FY*B/FY*B combinations were found more frequently among individuals who had had previous P. vivax infection compared with those participants who had not been infected [59/141 (41.8%) vs. 19/68 (27.9%) and 43/141 (30.5%) vs. 14/68 (20.6%), respectively; (P < 0.001)]. The Fy(a+b-)/FY*A/FY*A and Fy(a-b-)/FY*A/FY*B combinations were more frequent in individuals with no previous history of P. vivax infection [15/68 (22.1%) vs. 25/141 (17.7%) and 7/68 (10.3%) vs. 0/141 (0%), respectively; (P < 0.001)]. We did not observe participants with the Fy(a-b-)/FY*B/FY*B combination who had had previous P. vivax infection (Table 2).

TABLE 2:
P. vivax malaria infection among the RsER, according to Duffy phenotype and genotype combinations.

The frequency of the c.1-67T>C mutation in homozygosis at the promoter region of the FY* gene was found in 11/250 (4.4%). Overall, we found a frequency of the c.1-67T>C mutation among the 84/250 (33.6%) RsER individuals. On the other hand, the majority of the RsER [166/250 (66.4%)] did not present the c.1-67T>C mutation (Table 3).

TABLE 3:
Frequency of the c.1-67T>C mutation of the Duffy blood group among RsER.

We investigated the frequency of the c.1-67T>C mutation that causes the silencing of the Fyb antigen expression on RBCs in individuals showing a discrepancy between the phenotype [Fy(a+b-)] and genotype (FY*A/FY*B). We found that 30/34 (88.2%) individuals with the Fy(a+b-) phenotype and FY*A/FY*B genotype presented the c.1-67T>C mutation in heterozygosis (W/M) and 4/34 (11.8%) in homozygosis (M/M) (Table 4). All 34 individuals were also investigated for the c.265C>T and c.298G>A mutations in the coding region of the FY* , responsible for the weak expression of Fyb (Fybweak), but none of them carried such mutations. Four of 34 (11.8%) individuals presenting the Fy(a+b-) phenotype, the presence of the c.1-67T>C mutation, polymorphism of the FY*A and FY*B alleles, and c.265C>T and c.298G>A mutations. The FY*A/FY*B genotype and c.1-67T>C mutation in homozygosis were analyzed by nucleotide sequencing of the promoter and codifying regions of the FY* gene. In all four participants, we confirmed by DNA sequencing the results previously found using the PCR-RLFP method, i.e., the presence of the c.1-67T>C mutation in homozygosis and not the absence of the c.265C>T and c.298G>A mutations. These individuals had the Fyb antigen, but not the Fya antigen expression, silenced on their RBCs (Table 4).

TABLE 4:
Frequency of the c.1-67T>C mutation and phenotype and genotype discrepancy among RsER .

The correlation of the P. vivax infection and the presence of the c.1-67T>C mutation was investigated among the RsER, showing a discrepancy between the Fy(a+b-) phenotype and FY*A/FY*B genotype. The c.1-67T>C mutation not found (W/W) in 103/141 (73.0%) of previously P. vivax-infected RsER, compared with 38/68 (55.9%) of non-infected RsER. The presence of the c.1-67T>C mutation in heterozygosis (W/M) was detected in 14/141 (9.9%) and 10/68 (14.7%) of the previously infected and non-infected RsER, respectively. All RsER (n = 10) carrying the mutation in homozygosis (M/M) with no history of previous P. vivax infection (P < 0.001) (Table 5).

TABLE 5:
P. vivax malaria infection among RsER with Fy(a+b-) phenotype and FY*A/FY*B genotype, according to the c.-1-67T>C mutation.

We observed that among 68 RsER with no history of previous P. vivax malaria infection, 13/68 (19.1%) showed the Fy(a+b-) phenotype and the FY*A/FY*B genotype silencing the Fyb expression on their RBCs. In this group of individuals, 10/13 (76.9%) presented the c.1-67T>C mutation in heterozygosis W/M), and 3/13 (23.1%) presented the c.1-67T>C mutation in homozygosis (M/M) (Table 5). The other 55/68 (80.9%) non-infected RsER did not show such a phenotype/genotype combination.

Among the 141/209 (67.5%) RsER with previous malaria infection by P. vivax, 14/141 (9.9%) showed the Fy(a+b-) phenotype and FY*A/FY*B genotype combination, together with the c.1-67T>C mutation in heterozygosis (W/M), while 127/141 (90.1%) did not present the Fy(a+b-) phenotype and FY*A/FY*B genotype combination (Table 4). We observed that 14/38 (36.8%) individuals presented the Fy(a+b-) phenotype, FY*A/FY*B genotype, and c.1-67T>C mutation in heterozygosis (W/M) with previous P. vivax infection, but 10/20 (50%) had not been infected, suggesting that the c.1-67T>C mutation in heterozygosis did not provide full protection against the P. vivax infection (Table 5). As described above, 3/10 (30%) with the Fy(a+b-) phenotype, FY*A/FY*B genotype, and c.1-67T>C mutation in homozygosis (M/M) had not been infected.

The molecular studies analysis on this group of RsER allowed us to identify not only individuals presenting the Fy(a+b-) phenotype, FY*A/FY*B genotype, and c.1-67T>C mutation in homozygosis (M/M) but also one additional participant presenting the Fy(a+b-) phenotype, FY*A/FY*A genotype, and c.1-67T>C mutation in heterozygosis (W/M). However, we could not confirm the silencing of the Fya antigen because the individual had the FY*A allele in homozygosis, and the phenotyping showed the presence of the Fya antigen. This could be due to one FY*A allele not carrying the c.1-67T>C mutation, while the other FY*A allele presented the c.1-67T>C mutation; therefore, the silencing had not occurred. On the other hand, the c.1-67T>C presence in the FY*A did not silence the Fya antigen on RBCs.

DISCUSSION

The Duffy antigens are important in the P. vivax malarial infection and as receptors for chemokines3030. Horuk R, Chitnis CE, Darbonne WC, Colby TJ, Rybicki A, Hadley TJ, et al. Receptor for the malarial parasite Plasmodium vivax: the erythrocyte chemokine receptor. Science . 1993;261(5125):1182-4.,3131. Miller LH, Mason SJ, Clyde DF, McGinniss MH. The resistence fator to Plasmodium vivax in blacks. The Duffy-blood-group genotype, FyFy. N Engl J Med. 1976;295(6):302-4.. It is known that the Duffy-negative phenotype is predominant among Africans and Afro-American individuals1111. Sanger R, Race RR, Jack J. The Duffy blood groups of New York negrous: The phenotype Fy(a-b-). Br J Haematol. 1955;1(4):370-4.,3131. Miller LH, Mason SJ, Clyde DF, McGinniss MH. The resistence fator to Plasmodium vivax in blacks. The Duffy-blood-group genotype, FyFy. N Engl J Med. 1976;295(6):302-4.. The preponderance of the Fy(a-b-) phenotype among Africans is consistent with the genetic adaptation theory, as approximately 95% of individuals in Western Africa have the Duffy-negative phenotype, while P. vivax infection has virtually gone in those regions3232. Smith MT. Genetic adaptation. In Harrison GA (ed). Human adaptation. Oxford, England, Oxford University Press; 1993. P. 1-54.. In contrast, in Southeast Asia, considered a highly endemic P. vivax area, the prevalence of the Fy(a-b-) phenotype is uncommon3333. Shimizu Y, Kimura M, Settheetham-Ishida W, Duangchang P, Ishida T. Serotyping of Duffy blood group in several Thai ethnic groups. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Pub Health. 1997;28(1):32-5..

Brazil has a large malarial endemic area represented mainly by the Amazon region2828. Fundação Nacional da Saúde. Vigilância epidemiológica. Plano de intensificação das ações de controle da malaria na Amazônia Legal. 2000. Available at: (http://www.funasa.gov.br/epi/malaria/pdfs/plano.
http://www.funasa.gov.br/epi/malaria/pdf...
, and Brazil has a highly mixed ethnic population. Such aspects offer a unique opportunity to study the variations of the Duffy phenotypes and genotypes and their possible associations with the P. vivax infection among populations living inside or outside the malarial endemic regions. As a result, we examined the Duffy phenotype and genotype distribution in one group of RsER in the current investigation (Amazon State, Northwestern Brazil). Additionally, we analyzed the association between Duffy phenotypes and genotypes with the P. vivax infection frequency in the group of RsER.

We found a high frequency of the Fy(a+b+) phenotype among RsERs similar to that already reported in Caucasians but different from that detected in Asian and African populations3434. Yan L, Fu Q, Jin L, Li L. Duffy blood group phenotypes and genotypes in Chinese. Transfusion. 2001;41(7):970.. The high rate of P. vivax malaria infection among RsERs suggests that, to some extent, a genetic selection mechanism against the parasite infection did not occur in the Amazon region, as compared with what happened in Western Africa3232. Smith MT. Genetic adaptation. In Harrison GA (ed). Human adaptation. Oxford, England, Oxford University Press; 1993. P. 1-54..

Cavasini et al. found that the FYA/FYB genotype was the most prevalent among patients with malaria vivax in four parts of the Brazilian Amazon region, supporting the concept that persons with this genotype had a higher vulnerability to malaria2727. Carvalho TA, Queiroz MG, Cardoso GL, Diniz IG, Silva AN, Pinto AY, et al. Plasmodium vivax infection in Anajás, State of Pará: no differential resistance profile among Duffy-negative and Duffy-positive individuals. Malar J . 2012;11:430. doi: 10.1186/1475-2875-11-430
https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-11-430...
.

In our study, the frequency rate of previous P. vivax infection among RsER was not different for the FY*A/FY*A, FY*A/FY*B, and FY*B/FY*B genotypes distribution. Nevertheless, we observed that 102/141 (72.3%) of the individuals expressing the Fyb antigen had a previously acquired P. vivax infection, indicating the biological importance of the Fyb antigen, silenced by the c.1-67T>C mutation in homozygosis in preventing the P. vivax infection.

The lower prevalence of Fy(a-b-) phenotype in the RsMR than that described among the African population probably reflects Brazilian miscegenation with people of African descent1111. Sanger R, Race RR, Jack J. The Duffy blood groups of New York negrous: The phenotype Fy(a-b-). Br J Haematol. 1955;1(4):370-4..

The Fy(a-b-) phenotype is almost undetectable in a malaria-endemic region of Southeast Asia, and the genetic foundation for this phenotype is distinct from that described in African adults with FY*BSE allele homozygosis3535. Shimizu Y, Ao H, Soemantri A, Tiwawech D, Settheetham-Ishida W, Kayame OW, et al. Sero and molecular typing of Duffy blood group in Souteast Asians and Oceanians. Hum Biol 2000;72(3):511-8.. Shimizu and colleagues have reported that in some Asian regions, people showing the Fy(a-b-) phenotype present the FY*A/FY*A and FY*A/FY*B genotypes but not the FY*B SE /FY*B SE genotype. The investigators also described the presence of the Fyaweak antigen among individuals from Southeast Asia as an antigen weakly reacting with the anti-Fya sera; however, in the present study we did not find an analogous immunohematological variation.

We found discrepancies between phenotypes and genotypes in 13.6% of the RsMR, including individuals showing the Fy(a+b-) phenotype but not the FY*A/FY*B genotype, resulting in the suppression of Fyb antigen expression on RBCs. These blood samples were investigated for the presence of the c.1-67T>C mutation in the promoter region of the FY* gene that characterizes the FY*B SE allele and the c.265C>T and c.298G>A mutations in the coding region of the FY* gene that characterize the FY*B WEAK allele. The Fy(a+b-) phenotype was present among 88.2% of the RsMR, showing the FY*A/FY*B genotype and the c.1-67T>C mutation in heterozygosis that silenced the expression of the Fyb antigen on their RBCs. No individuals presented the c.265C>T or c.298G>A mutations. However, 12% of the RsER showed the FY*B SE allele in heterozygosis that corresponds to the most frequent allele found among Africans and Afro-Americans1212. Tournamille C, Le Van Kim C, Gane P, Cartron JP, Colin Y. Molecular basis and PCR-DNA typing of th Fya/Fyb blood group polymorphism. Hum Genet 1995;95(4):407-10..

Individuals showing the c.1-67T>C mutation in heterozygosis in the FY*B allele (W/M) presented with the dose-effect regarding the expression of the Duffy antigen on RBCs; therefore, expressing only 50% of their antigens99. Hoher G, Fiegenbaum M, Almeida S. Molecular basis of the Duffy blood group system. Blood. 2018;16(1):93-100.. This condition suggests that heterozygosis for the c.1-67T>C mutation favors the protection against the P. vivax infection3636. Michon P, Woolley I, Wood EM, Kastens W, Zimmerman PA, Adams JH, et al. Duffy-null promoter heterozygosity reduces DARC expression and abrogates adhesion of the P. vivax ligand required for blood-stage infection. FEBS Letters 2001;495(1-2):111-4..

When we analyzed this group of RsER, according to the P. vivax infection and Duffy phenotype and genotype discrepancy, we observed that among 27 individuals presenting the Fy(a+b-) phenotype and the FY*A/FY*B genotype, 13 (48.2%) did not have an infection, while 14 (51.8%) had had an infection. Therefore, the infection rate was similar between the two groups, suggesting a tendency for a phenotype/genotype protection against the P. vivax infection, even though the numbers of individuals tested with such phenotype/genotype discrepancy were relatively small. However, when we included the analysis of the c.1-67T>C mutation status, characterizing the FY*A/FY*B SE genotype, the tendency for protection against the P. vivax infection was not confirmed because only 3 of the 13 individuals showing the Fy(a+b-) phenotype, the FY*A/FY*B genotype and no P. vivax infection presented the c.1-67T>C mutation in homozygosis.

Differently from our data, in which 100% (7/7) of the individuals presenting the FY*B SE /FY*B SE had no previous malaria infection, Carvalho et al. evaluated the resistance profile for P. vivax infection in Anajas, State of Pará, Brazil, among Duffy-negative and-positive individuals, found no significant difference between the two groups2626. Cavasini CE, de Mattos LC, Couto AA, Couto VS, Gollino Y, Moretti LJ, et al. Duffy blood group gene polymorphisms among malaria vivax patients in four areas of the Brazilian Amazon region. Malar J. 2007;6: 167. doi: 10.1186/1475-2875-6-167
https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-6-167...
.

Zimmerman in New Guinea and Kempinska-Podhorodecka in Sudan described individuals showing the c.1-67T>C mutation in heterozygosis for the FY*A allele that silenced the Fya antigen expression on RBCs1414. Zimmerman PA, Woolley I, Masinde GL, Miller SM, McNamara DT, Hazlett F. Emergence of FY*A (null) in a Plasmodium vivax-endemic region of Papua New Guinea. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA . 1999;96(24):13973-7.,1515. Kempińska-Podhorodecka A, Knap O, Drozd A, Kaczmarczyk M, Parafiniuk M, Parczewski M, et al. Analysis for genotyping Duffy blood group in inhabitants of Sudan, the Fourth Cataract of he Nile. Malaria. J 2012;11:115-20.. Additionally, Pisacka and coworkers described a Caucasian family with a T>C substitution at position c.1-69 in the FY* promoter region, which breaks the GATA motif (TTATCT>TCATCT) and is associated with the suppression of FY*A expression1. In our investigation, we discovered that 4/34 (11.8 percent) of participants with the Fy(a+b-) phenotype and the FY*A/FY*B genotype (n = 34) had the c.1-67T>C mutation in homozygosis, suggesting that the c.1-67T>C mutation in the FY*A allele did not suppress Fya antigen production on their RBCs. We also found one individual who presented the Fy(a+b-) phenotype, FY*A/FY*A genotype, and c.1-67T>C mutation in heterozygosis. Based on the phenotype analysis, we could not confirm whether the c.1-67T>C mutation in this individual silenced the Fya expression or not because we were not able to demonstrate if the Fya presence was in a duplicated form, corresponding to two alleles (FY*A/FY*A), or if there was one antigen silencing corresponding to the allele carrying the c.1-67T>C mutation.

Two of the four patients presented no prior history of malaria infection; one had P. falciparum infection and one did not disclose the malaria epidemiology status. Individuals with the Fy(a+b-) phenotype, FY*A/FY*A genotype, and c.1-67T>C mutation in heterozygosis were infected with malaria by P. vivax and P. falciparum. Despite the small number of cases in the current data, the presence of the c.1-67T>C mutation in FY*A and FY*B alleles may confer some protection against P. vivax infection, given the low expression of the Duffy antigens on RBCs in individuals carrying the c.1-67T>C mutation, a situation that may be exacerbated by the presence of a double mutation. Additional research with people carrying the c.1-67T>C FY*A allele are required to substantiate our results that the Fya antigen is not silenced in their RBCs.

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Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    05 Aug 2022
  • Date of issue
    2022

History

  • Received
    07 Oct 2021
  • Accepted
    30 Dec 2021
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