RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Mannose binding lectin polymorphisms as a disease-modulating factor in women with systemic lupus erythematosus from Canary Islands, Spain. JF The Journal of Rheumatology JO J Rheumatol FD The Journal of Rheumatology SP 740 OP 746 VO 30 IS 4 A1 M Isabel García-Laorden A1 Iñigo Rúa-Figueroa A1 Paloma Pérez-Aciego A1 J Carlos Rodríguez-Pérez A1 M Jesús Citores A1 Fayna Alamo A1 Celia Erausquin A1 Carlos Rodríguez-Gallego YR 2003 UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/30/4/740.abstract AB OBJECTIVE: To determine whether mannose binding lectin (MBL) polymorphisms are associated with clinical characteristics and with susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in women from the Canary Islands, Spain. METHODS: MBL alleles and genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction in 89 female patients and 188 female controls. RESULTS: No differences in the allelic or genotypic frequencies were observed between patients and controls. Anti-U1RNP autoantibodies were less frequent in association with mutated alleles (p = 0.037), and in association with MBL deficient genotypes, although this association was not statistically significant. The patients with low or nonproducer genotypes exhibited a decreased frequency of anti-Sm antibodies (p = 0.059). A nonsignificant trend toward lower prevalence of anti-Sm and anticardiolipin antibodies in association with both mutated alleles and low or nonproducer genotypes was also observed. The prevalence of more than one autoantibody was lower in association with mutated alleles (p = 0.022) and with low or nonproducer genotypes (p = 0.052). Homozygous or heterozygous patients with mutated alleles were significantly older at disease onset and at SLE diagnosis (p = 0.005, p = 0.014, respectively). An increase in the mean age at disease onset and at SLE diagnosis was observed with regard to the number of nonproducer alleles present (p = 0.021, p = 0.038, respectively). CONCLUSION: MBL deficiency is not a risk factor for SLE in women from the Canary Islands, but it is associated with lower prevalence of autoantibodies and with later age at disease onset and at SLE diagnosis.