Low-density lipoprotein receptor variants are associated with spontaneous and treatment-induced recovery from hepatitis C virus infection

Infect Genet Evol. 2009 Sep;9(5):847-52. doi: 10.1016/j.meegid.2009.05.002. Epub 2009 May 14.

Abstract

Low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) is involved in the entry of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in host cells. We investigated whether three single-nucleotide alterations within LDLR might be associated with the course of hepatitis C infection and response to antiviral therapy. We enrolled 651 individuals with chronic HCV infection who had received interferon-based combination therapy, 174 individuals with self-limited HCV infection, and 516 healthy controls. LDLR c.1171G>A, c.1413G>A, and c.*52G>A genotyping was performed by real-time PCR-based assays. HCV genotype 1-infected individuals who were homozygous for 3'UTR c.*52G were at increased risk for virologic non-response to antiviral therapy compared to virologic responders (66.3% vs. 51.0%, p=0.001). Furthermore, compared to healthy controls, self-limited HCV genotype 1 infection was significantly associated with c.1171A (15.1% vs. 6.6%, p=0.006) and negatively associated with c.1413G>A heterozygosity (33.0% vs. 46.1%, p=0.023). The data indicate that LDLR alterations are correlated with response to interferon-based combination therapy and with self-limitation of HCV 1 infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 3' Untranslated Regions
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Exons
  • Female
  • Genotype
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / drug therapy*
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Interferons / therapeutic use
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
  • Receptors, LDL / genetics*
  • Remission Induction
  • Remission, Spontaneous
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • 3' Untranslated Regions
  • Antiviral Agents
  • Receptors, LDL
  • Interferons