Measurement of the Gene Expression and Polymorphisms of c-myc and p53 Genes in HBV Infected Patients

Abstract

This study explained the c-myc and p53 gene expression and polymorphisms in chronic (40), cirrhosis (30) and Hepatocellular Carcinoma, (HCC) (30) patients related to Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection and healthy control (50) in Egypt. Where, c-myc (intron 8) and p53 (codon 72) gene expression and polymorphisms were determined using qRT-PCR and PCR-RFLP techniques. The results showed that c-myc gene expression (2-ddct) was significantly increased in chronic (1.38), cirrhosis (1.47) and HCC (5.59) compared to the control group (1.00), while p53 gene expression (2-ddct) was significantly decreased compared to the control group (0.82, 0.65, 0.33 and 1.00, respectively). In HCC group, c-myc genotype (CC) was predominant (90%) more than cirrhosis, chronic and control (73.33, 22.5 and 6%, respectively), GG genotype was predominant in control (70%) more than chronic, cirrhosis and HCC groups (67.5, 6.66 and 6.66%, respectively) and GC genotype was high in control (24%) more than cirrhosis, chronic and HCC groups (20, 10 and 3.33%, respectively). p53 PP (88%) genotype was predominant in control more than chronic, cirrhosis and HCC groups (30, 30 and 6.66%, respectively), AA genotype was predominant in HCC group (73.33%) more than chronic, cirrhosis and control (50, 10 and 4%, respectively) and genotype PA was predominant in cirrhosis (60%) more than chronic, HCC and control (20, 20 and 8%, respectively). These results suggest clearly that both c-myc and p53 gene expression and polymorphisms influence clinical outcome and progression of HBV infection and then considered an accurate genetic biomarker to determine and predict the progression of HBV infection.