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The relationship between tumor necrosis factor-α polymorphisms and hepatitis C virus infection: a systematic review

Juan He1, Xiaohua Pei, Wei Xu

  • 1Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.

Renal Failure
|August 20, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α gene polymorphisms at positions -238 and -308 do not appear to influence Hepatitis C virus (HCV) susceptibility or clearance in hemodialysis patients. Further research is needed for optimal HCV prevention strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Immunogenetics
  • Hepatology
  • Nephrology

Background:

  • Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a significant cause of chronic liver disease, particularly in maintenance hemodialysis (HD) patients.
  • Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α promoter polymorphisms (-238 and -308) are investigated for their potential role in modulating TNF-α levels and influencing HCV infection outcomes.
  • Previous studies on the association between TNF-α polymorphisms and HCV infection have yielded inconsistent results.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review and meta-analyze published data evaluating the relationship between TNF-α promoter polymorphisms (-238 and -308) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.
  • To assess the association of these polymorphisms with HCV susceptibility and spontaneous viral clearance in a global population and specific ethnic subgroups.

Main Methods:

  • A systematic review and meta-analysis of 15 studies indexed in PubMed, Embase, and CNKI databases up to December 2010.
  • Data analysis using RevMan 4.2 software, calculating odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (95% CI) with fixed or random-effects models.
  • Exploration of heterogeneity and publication bias across the included studies.

Main Results:

  • No significant association was found between TNF-α -308 and -238 gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to HCV infection in the overall group and ethnic subgroups (European, American, African, Asian).
  • The distribution of TNF-α -308 and -238 A/G alleles did not significantly differ between patients with persistent HCV infection and those with spontaneous viral clearance.
  • Statistical significance (p-values) for susceptibility and clearance comparisons were consistently above conventional thresholds (e.g., p = 0.28, 0.38 for susceptibility; p = 0.64, 0.75 for clearance).

Conclusions:

  • The findings suggest that TNF-α -238 and -308 gene polymorphisms likely have no significant effect on susceptibility to HCV infection or viral clearance.
  • These results have implications for optimizing HCV prevention strategies in hemodialysis patients.
  • The study highlights the need for future research to further elucidate the role of genetic factors in HCV infection and clearance.
Abstract

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