Toll-Like Receptor 7 Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Associated with Hepatitis C Virus Infection, Correlation with HCV Outcome

Labeeb, Azza Z.; Badr, Eman A.E.

doi:10.21608/ejmm.2019.282431

Toll-Like Receptor 7 Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Associated with Hepatitis C Virus Infection, Correlation with HCV Outcome

Document Type : New and original researches in the field of Microbiology.

Authors

Azza Z. Labeeb ¹
Eman A.E. Badr ²

¹ Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Egypt

² Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Egypt

10.21608/ejmm.2019.282431

Abstract

Background: The outcome of hepatitis C virus infection whether; natural viral clearance or progressive liver damage, is dependent on an efficient immune response. TLR7 is a pattern recognition receptor that can sense ssRNA viruses and is important contributor in the immune defense against HCV infection. Objectives: In this study, we attempted to evaluate if there is an association between HCV infection outcome and TLR7 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs179009. Methodology: 96 participants were included in this study, they were divided into 3 groups. Group (I); 39 patients had persistent HCV infection, group (II); 37 patients who cleared HCV infection, and group (III); 20 healthy controls. All participants were genotyped for TLR7 SNP rs179009 using Taq-Man SNP genoyping assay and real time PCR. Results: There was a notable difference between males and females regarding TLR7 SNP rs179009 genotypes distribution among HCV carriers and natural clearance groups. As, female patients carrying AA genotype were capable of clearing HCV virus efficiently compared with females carrying AG or GG genotype (OR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.07-1.1, P = 0.042 ).Hence AA genotype appeared as a protective factor against persistence HCV infection among females. Whereas, AG genotype may be a risk factor for establishing persistence HCV infection in female patients(P<0.05). Concerning HCV infected males, no significant association was detected between TLR7 SNP rs179009 A or G genotype with HCV outcome. Conclusion: TLR7 SNP rs179009 may adjust the clearance or persistence of HCV outcome with different magnitudes between either males or females. These findings give us an idea about the role of TLR7 SNP, which, may be a predictor of HCV infection outcome and of the response to INF therapy. Hopefully, a future approach of TLR7-based therapy may be developed.

Keywords