Interleukin-18 and its gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) influence chronic hepatitis C progression

Ebada M Said; Mohamed S Soliman; Hend Ibrahim Shousha; Mohamed Sanad Rashed; Abeer Abo Elazm; Rania Zakaria Aamer; Mai Hamed Kamel; Fatma Mohamed Abdelsalam

doi:10.3855/jidc.9813

Interleukin-18 and its gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) influence chronic hepatitis C progression

Authors

Ebada M Said Benha University, Benha, Egypt
Mohamed S Soliman Benha University, Benha, Egypt
Hend Ibrahim Shousha Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
Mohamed Sanad Rashed Benha University, Benha, Egypt
Abeer Abo Elazm Benha University, Benha, Egypt
Rania Zakaria Aamer Benha University, Benha, Egypt
Mai Hamed Kamel Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
Fatma Mohamed Abdelsalam Benha University, Benha, Egypt

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.9813

Keywords:

Hepatitis C virus, interleukin 18, IL-18 single nucleotide polymorphism, liver fibrosis

Abstract

Introduction: Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that is induced by hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Inter-individual variations of IL-18 gene expression may alter HCV-associated liver injury. Variable single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been detected within IL-18 gene sequence. Quantitative assessment of IL-18 plasma level and detection of genotype frequencies of 2 functional polymorphisms of its gene (-607 C/A and -137 G/C) were done to assess their impact on the severity of chronic hepatitis C (CHC).

Methodology: Cases group (I) comprised 110 treatment naïve CHC Egyptian patients (78 Males and 32 Females, mean age = 40.7 ± 11.8 years) who underwent routine laboratory investigations. Assessment of plasma level of IL-18 was done by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), detection of IL-18 gene polymorphisms at positions -607 C/A and -137 G/C by polymerase chain reaction sequence specific polymorphism (PCR-SSP) analysis and Liver biopsy with METAVIR scoring were done. The control group (II) comprised 90 healthy participants.

Results: Plasma levels of IL-18 were significantly higher in cases than the control group. We found a statistically highly significant (p < 0.001) positive correlation between IL-18 plasma level and both METAVIR necro-inflammatory grade and fibrosis stage. The A/A allele at -607 position was significantly more frequent (p < 0.05) in patients with F ≤ 1.

Conclusions: Higher IL-18 plasma levels are found in CHC patients and positively correlate with the severity of liver disease. The presence of A/A allele at -607 position of IL-18 gene promoter is associated with milder liver disease.

Author Biographies

Ebada M Said, Benha University, Benha, Egypt

Hepatology, Gastroenterology and Infectious Diseases Department, Faculty of Medicine

Mohamed S Soliman, Benha University, Benha, Egypt

Hepatology, Gastroenterology and Infectious Diseases Department, Faculty of Medicine

Hend Ibrahim Shousha, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt

endemic medicine and hepatogastroenterology department, Faculty of medicine

Mohamed Sanad Rashed, Benha University, Benha, Egypt

Hepatology, Gastroenterology and Infectious Diseases Department, Faculty of Medicine

Abeer Abo Elazm, Benha University, Benha, Egypt

Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine

Rania Zakaria Aamer, Benha University, Benha, Egypt

Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine

Mai Hamed Kamel, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt

Clinical and chemical pathology department, Faculty of Medicine

Fatma Mohamed Abdelsalam, Benha University, Benha, Egypt

Hepatology, Gastroenterology and Infectious Diseases Department, Faculty of Medicine

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Published

2018-04-30

How to Cite

Said EM, Soliman MS, Shousha HI, Rashed MS, Elazm AA, Aamer RZ, Kamel MH, Abdelsalam FM (2018) Interleukin-18 and its gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) influence chronic hepatitis C progression. J Infect Dev Ctries 12:257–264. doi: 10.3855/jidc.9813

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Issue

Vol. 12 No. 04: April 2018

Section

Original Articles

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