Lack of Association between Polymorphisms of the TLR4 Gene and Infection with the Hepatitis B and C Viruses

• Published in: Mediators of Inflammation Vol. 2015; no. 2015; pp. 393 - 399-034
• Main Authors: Ishak, Marluísa de O. Guimarães, Ishak, Ricardo, Rosário Vallinoto, Antonio Carlos, Azevedo, Vânia Nakauth, Demachki, Sâmia, da Silva Conde, Simone Regina Souza, da Silva Graça, Ednelza, Tatielle Monteiro Gomes, Samara, Santana, Bárbara B., de Sá, Keyla Santos Guedes, Pires-Neto, Orlando de Souza, Feitosa, Rosimar Neris Martins
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cairo, Egypt Hindawi Limiteds 01-01-2015; Hindawi Publishing Corporation; John Wiley & Sons, Inc; Hindawi Limited
• Subjects: Adult; Cytokines; Disease; Female; Gene expression; Genetic aspects; Genetic Predisposition to Disease - genetics; Health aspects; Hepatitis; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis B - genetics; Hepatitis C; Hepatitis C - genetics; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Infections; Laboratories; Liver cancer; Liver cirrhosis; Male; Middle Aged; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide - genetics; Population; Risk factors; Rodents; Single nucleotide polymorphisms; Studies; TLR4; Toll-Like Receptor 4 - genetics; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Viral infections; Viruses
• ISSN: 0962-9351; 1466-1861
• DOI: 10.1155/2015/150673

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) plays a crucial role in the early recognition of pathogenic microorganisms and provides an ideal model to investigate the consequences of genetic variation and susceptibility to diseases. The present study investigated the occurrence of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs4986790 (A>G) and rs4986791 (C>T) in the TLR4 gene in chronic carriers of the hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) viruses. A total of 420 blood samples were collected (HBV, 49; HCV, 72; and controls, 299) at the liver disease outpatient clinic of Hospital da Fundação Santa Casa de Misericórdia do Pará (FSCMPA). Genomic DNA extracted from leukocytes was subjected to real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis to identify the genetic profile of the participants. No significant differences were found in the allele and genotype frequencies between the infected participants and controls. No significant associations were found between the investigated polymorphisms and inflammatory activity, fibrosis, and the presence of cirrhosis; the same results were obtained in the haplotype analysis. The results showed a lack of association between the rs4986790 and rs4986791 SNPs and susceptibility to infection with HBV and HCV, as well as clinical and laboratory information of the patients.