High polymorphism of the MBL2 gene in patients with atopic dermatitis.

Background: Low serum levels of mannose-binding lectin (MBL) are determined mainly by variant alleles of the MBL2 gene and it has been suggested that MBL may play a role in the susceptibility to atopic dermatitis (AD).

Objective: The aim was to investigate the difference of the frequency of MBL2 variant alleles in AD patients and in a group of individuals without AD, and associate the MBL2 alleles with AD severity.

Methods: MBL2 variant allele's frequency was investigated in 131 children with AD and 165 healthy children/adolescents matched by convenience.