Infection and Drug Resistance (May 2021)

Role of Lymphotoxin-α Gene Polymorphism in Hepatitis C Virus-Related Chronic Liver Disorders

  • Galal G,
  • Tammam H,
  • Abdel Aal A,
  • Fahmy N,
  • Sheneef A,
  • Ahmed N,
  • Zaghloul A

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 14
pp. 1921 – 1930

Abstract

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Ghada Galal,1 Hammam Tammam,1 Amal Abdel Aal,2 Nahed Fahmy,3 Abeer Sheneef,3 Nagwa Ahmed,4 Amr Zaghloul1 1Department of Tropical Medicine and Gastroenterology, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt; 2Department of Clinical Pathology, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt; 3Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt; 4Department of Biochemistry, Sohag University, Sohag, EgyptCorrespondence: Amr Zaghloul Tel +201006523309Email [email protected]: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family includes lymphotoxin-alpha (LTA) which is a pro-inflammatory cytokine which plays a role in hepatic fibrogenesis. LTA gene polymorphism plays a role in different inflammatory and immunomodulatory diseases. This polymorphism is also suggested to affect chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection course.Aim: To study the contribution of LTA gene polymorphism in different chronic hepatitis C stages and hepatocellular carcinoma risk.Patients and Methods: Our study included 108 chronic HCV patients grouped according to the disease stage. Group (A): CHC, group (B): liver cirrhosis (LC), group (C): LC with HCC, and group (D): healthy controls. Routine laboratory investigations, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for quantification of HCV, abdominal ultrasonography, and Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) were done. Child–Turcotte–Pugh, Model for end-stage liver disease (MELD), and Fibrosis index based on 4 (FIB-4) scores were calculated. We used the PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique for lymphotoxin-α genotyping.Results: The A/G genotype was predominant in all groups. In HCC patients, G/G genotype was more frequent (31.8%) than in the LC group (19.4%), CHC group (17.8%), and controls (4.17%). A significant association was found between LTA genotypes and the child classes in HCC (P< 0.01) but not in LC patients (P> 0.05). HCC patients carrying A/G genotype had higher MELD scores than other genotypes. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis confirmed that LTA G/G genotype and low platelet count were independent predictors for HCC development in patients with HCV-related LC.Conclusion: Detection of LTA G/G genotype in chronic HCV patients could help to recognize high-risk patients for disease progression and HCC development.Keywords: hepatitis C virus, lymphotoxin alpha, hepatocellular carcinoma, gene polymorphism

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