Abstract
Genetic variants in microRNAs (miRNAs) can alter the miRNAs expression and/or function, accordingly, affecting the related biological pathways and disease risk. Dysregulation of miR-155 and miR-146a expression levels has been well-described in viral hepatitis B (HBV). In the current study, we aimed to assess rs767649 T/A and rs57095329 A/G polymorphisms in miR-155, and miR-146a genes, respectively, as risk factors for Chronic HBV (CHBV) in the Egyptian population. Also, we aimed to do in silico analysis to investigate the molecules that primarily target these miRNAs. One hundred patients diagnosed as CHBV and one hundred age and sex-matched controls with evidence of past HBV infection were genotyped for miR-155 (rs767649) and miR-146a (rs57095329) using real-time polymerase chain reaction. The rs767649 AT and AA genotypes in CHBV patients confer four folds and ten folds risk respectively, as compared to control subjects [(AOR = 4.245 (95%CI 2.009–8.970), p<0.0001) and AOR = 10.583 (95%CI 4.012–27.919), p<0.0001, respectively)]. The rs767649 A allele was associated with an increased risk of developing CHBV (AOR = 2.777 (95%CI 1.847–4.175), p<0.0001). There was a significant difference in the frequency of rs57095329 AG and GG genotypes in CHBV patients compared to controls. AG and GG genotypes showed an increase in the risk of developing CHBV by about three and six folds respectively [AOR = 2.610 (95%CI 1.362–5.000), p = 0.004] and [AOR = 5.604 (95%CI 2.157–14.563), p<0.0001].We concluded that rs57095329 and rs767649 SNPs can act as potential risk factors for the development of CHBV in the Egyptian population.
Highlights
Infection by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the most common viral infections worldwide especially in developing countries [1]
When compared to TT genotype, there was about four folds risk of being chronic HBV (CHBV) when the patient has the mutant AT genotype; [Adjusted Odds ratio (AOR) = 4.245 (95%confidence intervals (CI) 2.009–8.970), p
The frequency of the AT and AA genotypes was higher in CHBV patients than in control (58% vs. 48%) and (30% vs. 10%), respectively (Table 2)
Summary
Infection by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the most common viral infections worldwide especially in developing countries [1]. In Egypt, HBV prevalence was 1.4% among ages ranged 15–59 in Egypt Health Issues Survey, 2015 [2]. In another survey in Southern Upper Egypt, about 4.4% of the studied population had chronic HBV(CHBV) [3]. MicroRNAs (miR) are small non-coding ribonucleic acids formed nearly from 21–25 nucleotides that regulate the expression of protein-coding genes post-transcriptionally by affecting the translation and degradation of target mRNAs [5]. They regulate the host-virus interaction through suppression of viral infection pathways [6]. MiRNAs have a crucial role in the pathogenesis of various hepatic diseases, including chronic viral hepatitis [7]
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