Association of IL28B Polymorphisms With Hepatitis C Susceptibility in Southern Iran's β-Thalassemia Population: A...

Thalassemia is a hereditary hematological condition which interferes with the production of hemoglobin (Hb). Patients with thalassemia require regular blood transfusion, which makes them highly susceptible to pathogens, and especially viral pathogens. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is also a big threat in that it is hepatotropic in nature and has the potential of causing hepatic injury. Host genetic factors, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the IFN λ3 (IL28B) gene, influence the ability to clear the virus and respond to therapy. In this research, we aimed to determine the frequency of the rs8099917 and rs12979860 polymorphisms of the IL28B gene in HCV-infected thalassemia patients from southern Iran.

Sixty-five people with β-thalassemia were recruited, including 25 people who are HCV positive and 40 people who are HCV negative. The genotyping of the locus at the rs8099917 and rs12979860 sites was done using the tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction (T-ARMS-PCR).

On analyzing the locus at rs8099917, we noted that the TT genotype was common among patients who had HCV, with the proportion of 72% versus 12.5% among HCV-negative individuals. The GG genotype was also rare in the HCV-positive group and not present in the HCV-negative group. On the other hand, TG genotype were found in 20% of the HCV-positive patients with 87.5% of the HCV-negative subjects, presenting a very significant difference (p < 0.001). On the other hand, the distribution of the rs12979860 genotype was not significantly different in the two groups.

Our findings suggest that the rs8099917 SNP of the IL28B gene may serve as a useful baseline predictor of antiviral responses in thalassemia patients infected with HCV.