The aim of this study was to investigate the importance of the polymorphism in the NINJ1 gene for neural impairment during leprosy course.
A single nucleotide polymorphism (asp110ala) was searched in 218 leprosy patients and 244 non-leprosy subjects using a polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method.
No statistical differences were observed in the frequency of the asp110ala SNP between leprosy patients versus non-leprosy and multibacillary versus paucibacillary clinical forms. The C allele (ala110) is increased among patients exhibiting nerve impairment (p = 0.0379). Also, leprosy patients with the CC genotype (ala/ala) had a higher risk (OR = 4.21) of developing nerve disability when compared those carrying the AA genotype (asp/asp) (OR = 0.69).
Our results show an association between the studied C allele (ala110) and damage nerve in leprosy patients.
Ninjurin analysis showed that asp110ala could be a valuable prognostic marker, since C allele (ala110) have increased susceptibility to nerve damage.