Toll-like receptor 3 gene polymorphisms are not associated with the risk of hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infection

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical 2015-03, Vol.48 (2), p.136
• Main Authors: Keyla, Santos Guedes de Sá, Orlando, despaceSouza Pires-Neto, Barbara, Brasil Santana, Samara, Tatielle Monteiro Gomes, Ednelza, da Silva Graça, Simone, Regina da Silva, Demachki, Sâmia, Vânia, Nakauth Azevedo, Luiz, Fernando Almeida Machado, Rosimar, Neris Martins-Feitosa, Marluísa, despaceOliveira Guimarães Ishak, Ishak, Ricardo, Antonio, Carlos Rosário Vallinoto
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Genotype & phenotype; Genotypes; Hepatitis; Polymorphism; Risk factors
• ISSN: 0037-8682; 1678-9849
• DOI: 10.1590/0037-8682-0008-201

INTRODUCTION: The present study investigated the prevalence of two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) gene in patients infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). METHODS: Samples collected from HCV (n = 74) and HBV (n = 35) carriers were subjected to quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) to detect the presence of the SNPs rs5743305 and rs3775291 in TLR3 and to measure the following biomarkers: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), and prothrombin time (PT). A healthy control group was investigated and consisted of 299 HCV- and HBV-seronegative individuals. RESULTS: No significant differences in allele, genotype and haplotype frequencies were observed between the investigated groups, and no association was observed between the polymorphisms and histopathological results. Nevertheless, genotypes TA/AA (rs5743305) and GG (rs3775291) appear to be associated with higher levels of ALT (p