Polymorphisms of interferon γ and NKG2D receptor genes in predicting vertical transmission of HIV/HCV coinfection

Abstract

Objective: to investigate single nucleotide polymorphisms in IFNγ gene variant rs2430561 and in NKG2D gene variant rs2617160 as potential risk factors for mother-to-child viral transmission among HIV/HCV-coinfected women.Materials and methods: 65 mother-child pairs were examined, divided into 4 groups depending on the child's infection (HIV/ HCV infected, HIV or HCV infected, not infected). Methods: multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR), PCR for determining the viral load of HIV and HCV, flow cytometry for immunological studies, statistical analysis.Results: the single nucleotide polymorphism in IFNγ gene variant rs2430561 had no prognostic value when determined in the mothers. When recording the TT and AT genotypes of a single nucleotide polymorphism in this gene in a child, it was combined with the probability of the child's infection with HIV/HCV, HIV or HCV, depending on the magnitude of the viral load of HIV and HCV in the mother's blood in different trimesters of pregnancy. The presence of the AA and AT genotypes of the NKG2D gene variant rs2617160 in the mothers had a prognostic value as contributing tothe child infection with HIV/HCV or HIV alone. It was noted that the mechanisms of perinatal viral transmission included a certain level of decline in the absolute number of CD4+ lymphocytes in the woman blood in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.Conclusions: the presence of AA and AT genotypes of the NKG2D gene variant rs2617160 in woman co-infected with HIV/HCV makes it possible to predict the risk of child infection not only during pregnancy, but also at the planning stage.

Keywords

• hiv/hcv coinfection
• immune mechanisms of vertical viral transmission
• natural killer cells
• single nucleotide polymorphisms