ANALYSIS OF POLYMORPHISMS IN THE INTERLEUKIN 18 GENE PROMOTOR (-137 G/C AND -607 C/A) IN PATIENTS INFECTED WITH HEPATITIS C VIRUS FROM THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON

Arquivos de Gastroenterologia

Kemper Nunes Dos Santos¹  Marcella Kelly Costa De Almeida¹  Amanda Alves Fecury¹  Carlos Araújo Da Costa¹  Luísa Caricio Martins¹ 

关键词: Single nucleotide polymorphism;    Interleukin-18;    Hepatitis C;    Hepacivirus;    Polimorfismo de nucleotídeo único;    Interleucina-18;    Hepatite C;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S0004-28032015000300013

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThe 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.ObjectiveIdentify these polymorphisms in a population infected with hepatitis C virus from the Brazilian Amazon region.MethodsIn 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.ResultsComparison 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).ConclusionThe present results suggest a possible role of the -607 IL-18 gene promoter polymorphism in the pathogenesis of hepatitis C virus infection.

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