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Institution
The general objective of INSERM Unit 550, ‘Human
genetics of infectious diseases’, is to identify the human
genes that are involved in the predisposition and/or the resistance
to infectious agents, mainly bacteria and virus. The originality
and the strength of the laboratory lie in the synergic combination
of two complementary groups (genetic epidemiology and genetic immunology)
which allows addressing this question from the perspectives of both
Mendelian predisposition to rare severe infections and complex predisposition
to common infections. This strategy has already been successful
in the study of mycobacterial infections with the identification
of several genes responsible of severe infections by poorly virulent
mycobacteria (such as BCG vaccine), and the mapping of a major gene
in leprosy. This strategy is also currently applied to the study
of several viral infections, rare and severe (such as herpetic encephalitis,
fulminant hepatitis) and common (such as chronic infection by HTLV-1,
HHV-8, HCV).
Participants
The group of genetic epidemiology headed by Laurent
Abel has been working in genetic epidemiology of infectious diseases
for more than 15 years with the goal to identify the main genes
involved in the determinism of infectious diseases and to specify
the role of environmental factors interacting with these genes.
In the last years our research has focused on the study of common
mycobacterial diseases and chronic infection by some oncogenic viruses.
The main findings include the identification of a major gene in
susceptibility to leprosy, and the detection of genes predisposing
to infection by HTLV-1 and HHV-8 in children living in regions endemic
for those viruses. Our group has a long experience for analyzing
human genetic data, and has also developed powerful genetic epidemiology
methods for such analyses. In the present project, we will be involved
in the design and the analysis of the studies aimed at identifying
the human genes that could influence the response to SARS virus.
The principal participating persons will be Sabine Plancoulaine
and Laurent Abel (director of research).
Participation of women: Sabine Plancoulaine,
one of the researchers.
Roles in the project
- Expertise in genetic epidemiology of infectious
disease (WP 6).
Publications
5 relevant publications:
1. Plancoulaine S, Gessain A, Joubert M, Tortevoye P, Jeanne I,
Talarmin A, de The G, Abel L. Detection of a Major Gene Predisposing
to Human T Lymphotropic Virus Type I Infection in Children among
an Endemic Population of African Origin. J Infect Dis 2000;182:405-412
2. Plancoulaine S, Abel L, van Beveren M, Tregouet
DA, Joubert M, Tortevoye P, de The G, Gessain A. Human
herpesvirus 8 transmission from mother to child and between siblings
in an endemic population. Lancet
2000;356:1062-5
3. Casanova JL, Abel L. Genetic dissection of immunity
to mycobacteria: The human model. Annu Rev Immunol
2002;20:581-620
4. Plancoulaine S, Abel L, Van Beveren M, Gessain
A. High titers of anti-human herpesvirus 8 antibodies in, elderly
males in an endemic population. J Natl Cancer Inst 2002;94:1333-5
5. Plancoulaine S, Gessain A, van Beveren M, Tortevoye
P, Abel L. Evidence for a recessive major gene predisposing to human
herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection in a population in which HHV-8 is
endemic. J Infect Dis
2003;187:1944-50
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