TLR4 and TLR7 genetic polymorphism in patients with HIV/HCV-coinfection: prevalence and gender-related features

Introduction: HIV-infection and chronic hepatitis C is of great concern of current infectology. The paper is aimed at the study of the prevalence of the of TLR4 gene Gly and TLR7 gene Leu polymorphic alleles among patients with HIV/HCV-coinfection in general and with regard to gender, as well as to determine their role in the development of the infection.

Materials and methods: To achieve the objective of the research a cohort and case-control study has been carried out. The total of 535 people has been examined, including: HIV/HCV-coinfected - 104, HIV-monoinfected - 90, patients with chronic hepatitis C - 166 and almost healthy people (population control group) - 175 subjects.

Results and conclusion:The study found thatthe prevalence of the TLR4 gene Gly polymorphic allele among patients with HIV/HCV-coinfection, HIV-monoinfection and chronic hepatitis C accounted for 23.1 %, 14.4 % and 14.5 %, respectively, which is significantly higher than the similar index in controls - 3.3 %. The presence of the TLR4 gene Gly polymorphic allele in the genome increases the risk of HIV/HCV-coinfection development, in case of infection, by 9 (OR=8.70, р=0.000), HIV-monoinfection and chronic hepatitis C by 5 times (OR=4.89, р=0,016 and OR=4.9, р=0.011, respectively). TLR7 gene Leu polymorphic allele is recorded with the frequency of 19.9-26.0 % in patients with HIV/HCV-coinfection, HIV-monoinfection and chronic hepatitis C as compared to controls (25.9 %). In female patients with HIV/HCV-coinfection, HIV-monoinfection, chronic hepatitis C and healthy individuals the TLR7 gene Leu polymorphic allele is recorded by 2.1-3.6 times more frequently than in male patients.