BACKGROUND: The hepatitis C virus has been recognized as the leading cause of chronic liver disease in the world. Host genetic factors have been implicated in the persistence of hepatitis C virus infection. Single nucleotide polymorphisms at positions -607 C/A (rs1946518) and -137 G/C (rs187238) in the IL-18 gene promoter have been suggested to be associated with delayed hepatitis C virus clearance and persistence of the disease. OBJECTIVE: Identify these polymorphisms in a population infected with hepatitis C virus from the Brazilian Amazon region. METHODS: In a cross-sectional analytical study conducted in Belém, Pará, Brazil, 304 patients infected with hepatitis C virus were divided into two groups: group A, patients with persistent infection; group B, patients with spontaneous clearance. The control group consisted of 376 volunteers not infected with hepatitis C virus. Samples were analyzed by RT-PCR for the detection of viral RNA and by RFLP-PCR to evaluate the presence of the -137 G/C and -607 C/A IL-18 gene promoter polymorphisms. RESULTS: Comparison of polymorphism allele frequencies between the patient and control groups showed a higher frequency of allele C at position -607 among patients (P=0.02). When the association between the polymorphisms and viral infection was analyzed, patients carrying genotype C/A at position -607 were found to be at higher risk of persistent hepatitis C virus infection (P=0.03). CONCLUSION: The present results suggest a possible role of the -607 IL-18 gene promoter polymorphism in the pathogenesis of hepatitis C virus infection.
BACKGROUND: The hepatitis C virus has been recognized as the leading cause of chronic liver disease in the world. Host genetic factors have been implicated in the persistence of hepatitis C virus infection. Single nucleotide polymorphisms at positions -607 C/A (rs1946518) and -137 G/C (rs187238) in the IL-18 gene promoter have been suggested to be associated with delayed hepatitis C virus clearance and persistence of the disease. OBJECTIVE: Identify these polymorphisms in a population infected with hepatitis C virus from the Brazilian Amazon region. METHODS: In a cross-sectional analytical study conducted in Belém, Pará, Brazil, 304 patients infected with hepatitis C virus were divided into two groups: group A, patients with persistent infection; group B, patients with spontaneous clearance. The control group consisted of 376 volunteers not infected with hepatitis C virus. Samples were analyzed by RT-PCR for the detection of viral RNA and by RFLP-PCR to evaluate the presence of the -137 G/C and -607 C/A IL-18 gene promoter polymorphisms. RESULTS: Comparison of polymorphism allele frequencies between the patient and control groups showed a higher frequency of allele C at position -607 among patients (P=0.02). When the association between the polymorphisms and viral infection was analyzed, patients carrying genotype C/A at position -607 were found to be at higher risk of persistent hepatitis C virus infection (P=0.03). CONCLUSION: The present results suggest a possible role of the -607 IL-18 gene promoter polymorphism in the pathogenesis of hepatitis C virus infection.
Authors: Patrícia Yumeko Tsuneto; Victor Hugo de Souza; Josiane Bazzo de Alencar; Joana Maira Valentini Zacarias; Cléverson O Silva; Jeane Eliete Laguila Visentainer; Ana Maria Sell Journal: Mediators Inflamm Date: 2019-04-01 Impact factor: 4.711
Authors: Asmaa M Abdel-Aziz; Mohamed A Ibrahim; Azza A El-Sheikh; Maha Y Kamel; Nagwa M Zenhom; Salam Abdel-Raheim; Hisham Abdelhaleem Journal: J Clin Exp Hepatol Date: 2017-06-30