The association of toll-like receptor 4 polymorphism with hepatitis C virus infection in Saudi Arabian patients

Biomed Res Int. 2014:2014:357062. doi: 10.1155/2014/357062. Epub 2014 Aug 10.

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a single stranded RNA virus. It affects millions of people worldwide and is considered as a leading cause of liver diseases including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. A recent study reported that TLR4 gene polymorphisms are good prognostic predictors and are associated with protection from liver fibrosis among Caucasians. This study aims to investigate the implication of genetic polymorphisms of TLR4 gene on the HCV infection in Saudi Arabian patients. Two SNPs in the TLR4 gene, rs4986790 (A/G) and rs4986791 (C/T), were genotyped in 450 HCV patients and 600 uninfected controls. The association analysis confirmed that both SNPs showed a significant difference in their distribution between HCV-infected patients and uninfected control subjects (P < 0.0001; OR = 0.404, 95% CI = 0.281-0.581) and (P < 0.0001; OR = 0.298, 95% CI = 0.201-0.443), respectively. More importantly, haplotype analysis revealed that four haplotypes, AC, GT, GC, and AT (rs4986790, rs4986791), were significantly associated with HCV infection when compared with control subjects. One haplotype AC was more prominently found when chronic HCV-infected patients were compared with cirrhosis/HCC patients (frequency = 94.7% and P = 0.04). Both TLR4 SNPs under investigation were found to be significantly implicated with HCV-infection among Saudi Arabian population.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Comorbidity
  • Female
  • Genetic Association Studies
  • Genetic Markers / genetics
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease / epidemiology
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease / genetics
  • Hepatitis C / epidemiology*
  • Hepatitis C / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Liver Cirrhosis / epidemiology*
  • Liver Cirrhosis / genetics*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / genetics*
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Factors
  • Saudi Arabia / epidemiology
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / genetics*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Genetic Markers
  • TLR4 protein, human
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4