Full Text Available

Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.

Tuberculosis and genes of the IL12/IL23/IFNγ pathway: Exploring functional significance of novel mutations in the IL12p40 promoter

Includes bibliographical references.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Pienaar, Sandra Margaret
Other Authors: Eley, Brian
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health 2014
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1867614454673309696
access_status_str Open Access
author Pienaar, Sandra Margaret
author2 Eley, Brian
author_browse Eley, Brian
Pienaar, Sandra Margaret
author_facet Eley, Brian
Pienaar, Sandra Margaret
author_sort Pienaar, Sandra Margaret
collection Thesis
description Includes bibliographical references.
format Thesis
id oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/9534
institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:52:18.371Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2014
publishDateRange 2014
publishDateSort 2014
publisher Department of Paediatrics and Child Health
publisherStr Department of Paediatrics and Child Health
record_format dspace
source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/9534 Tuberculosis and genes of the IL12/IL23/IFNγ pathway: Exploring functional significance of novel mutations in the IL12p40 promoter Pienaar, Sandra Margaret Eley, Brian Anderson, Suzanne Includes bibliographical references. The aim of this work was to screen the IL12p40 gene promoter for association with TB disease. Initially a subcohort of children (TB cases and healthy controls) from a TB-endemic area was screened for DNA changes by the WAVE method. Thereafter, the entire paediatric cohort and a cohort of healthy adult controls were screened by Amplification Refractory Mutation System PCR. Functional testing was done by reporter assay and immunological phenotype was investigated by measurement of cytokines levels and cytokine receptor expression. WAVE screening identified two heterozygous SNPs, -1523 A/G and -1564 C/T. Statistical analysis showed that -1523 A/G may be protective against TB disease (p=0.02). This possibility was supported by the location of -1523 A/G occurring within a GTATA sequence reported to bind nuclear proteins. Specific ARMS-PCR assays were then designed for screening of additional paediatric subjects and healthy adult controls for these SNPs. Analysis of the larger group, showed that -1564 C/T may contribute to susceptibility to TB disease (p=0.03) Exploring functional relevance, normal and mutant promoter fragments were PCR amplified, using uniquely adapted primers that included restriction sites corresponding to those in the multiple cloning site of an expression vector, facilitating cloning. A truncated promoter and one with essential regions deleted, were created as negative controls. These five promoter fragments were cloned into the expression vector and functional differences tested by reporter. No significant functional differences between variant and normal promoter fragments were observed. A predictive immune phenotype was investigated by measurement of IFNγ, TNFα and IL12p70 cytokine levels and IL12βR1 receptor expression. While distinct patterns of cytokine responses were seen, these did not predict genotype. These results show that the IL12p40 gene promoter is highly conserved and sequence variants may be just one of many factors contributing to TB susceptibility. 2014-11-11T06:58:16Z 2014-11-11T06:58:16Z 2014 Doctoral Thesis Doctoral PhD http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9534 eng application/pdf Department of Paediatrics and Child Health Faculty of Health Sciences University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Pienaar, Sandra Margaret
Tuberculosis and genes of the IL12/IL23/IFNγ pathway: Exploring functional significance of novel mutations in the IL12p40 promoter
thesis_degree_str Doctoral
title Tuberculosis and genes of the IL12/IL23/IFNγ pathway: Exploring functional significance of novel mutations in the IL12p40 promoter
title_full Tuberculosis and genes of the IL12/IL23/IFNγ pathway: Exploring functional significance of novel mutations in the IL12p40 promoter
title_fullStr Tuberculosis and genes of the IL12/IL23/IFNγ pathway: Exploring functional significance of novel mutations in the IL12p40 promoter
title_full_unstemmed Tuberculosis and genes of the IL12/IL23/IFNγ pathway: Exploring functional significance of novel mutations in the IL12p40 promoter
title_short Tuberculosis and genes of the IL12/IL23/IFNγ pathway: Exploring functional significance of novel mutations in the IL12p40 promoter
title_sort tuberculosis and genes of the il12 il23 ifnγ pathway exploring functional significance of novel mutations in the il12p40 promoter
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9534
work_keys_str_mv AT pienaarsandramargaret tuberculosisandgenesoftheil12il23ifngpathwayexploringfunctionalsignificanceofnovelmutationsintheil12p40promoter