Analysis of the c.1135G > A, c.1993A > G, c.2059T > C TAP2 gene variants and their relationship with latent tuberculosis infection in Mexico

Tuberculosis (TB) is a worldwide public health problem with 10.6 million people falling ill and 1.5 million deaths every year. Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is a condition in which an individual has been infected with <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> (<i>Mtb</i>) but does not show clinical signs and symptoms. The transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP2) protein plays a fundamental role in the immune response promoting the clearance of intracellular pathogens, such as <i>Mtb</i>. Our study aimed to determine the association between c.1135G > A (rs1800454), c.1993A > G (rs241447) and c.2059 T > C (rs241448) <i>TAP2</i> gene variants with LTBI susceptibility. In this case-control study, 180 individuals (90 were LTBI-positive and 90 were controls) from shelters were analyzed. Genotyping of the polymorphisms was performed using the Applied Biosystems Step One Thermal Cycler Real-Time PCR allelic discrimination technology. The haplotypic analyses were performed with the Arlequin 3.5 software. The G allele (OR = 1.732, CI = 1.125-2.667, <i>p</i> = 0.012) and AG genotype of the c.1993A > G variant (<i>p</i>=<0.001) were associated with susceptibility to LTBI (<i>p</i>=<0.001), as well as the GAT, AAT, AAC, AGT haplotypes (<i>p</i>=<0.001). The c.1135G > A and c.2059 T > C variants were not associated with LTBI risk.