Background: Cystic fibrosis is the most common lethal recessive disorder among Caucasians. Over 1500 mutations have been identified in cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator disease-gene so far. A large variability of the clinical phenotype has been observed both in cystic fibrosis patients bearing the same genotype, and in affected sibpairs. Thus, genes inherited independently from cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator could modulate the clinical expression of cystic fibrosis.
Methods: We analysed some putative modifier genes of liver cystic fibrosis phenotype (serpin 1, hemochromatosis, transferrin receptor 2, ferroportin 1, mannose binding lectin and adenosine triphospate-binding cassette subfamily B member 4) in 108 unrelated cystic fibrosis patients with and without liver involvement.
Results: HYPD mannose binding lectin haplotype was significantly (p<0.05) more frequent in cystic fibrosis patients with liver disease versus those without liver disease. This haplotype already related to a more severe pulmonary cystic fibrosis phenotype, is associated to a reduced MBL immunological activity. The c.834-66G>T variant of adenosine triphospate-binding cassette subfamily B member 4 gene was significantly (p<0.05) less frequent in cystic fibrosis patients with liver disease as compared to those with no liver disease.
Conclusions: The HYPD mannose binding lectin haplotype may predispose a subgroup of cystic fibrosis patients to a more severe liver involvement impairing the local defence mechanisms whereas the c.834-66G>T adenosine triphospate-binding cassette subfamily B member 4 variant may enhance the activity of the protein and thus exert a protective effect toward liver disease.