AUTHOR=Liu Ni , Liu Min , Yang Jun , Dong Shuwei , Yue Ming , Huang Peng , Xia Xueshan , Zhang A-Mei 

TITLE=Association of genetic polymorphisms in the C19orf66 gene and biochemical indices of HBV infected individuals in Yunnan

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1180366

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2023.1180366

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Introduction</title><p>Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection causes serious liver diseases and is a healthy problem worldwide. Although vaccines are administered to infants after birth, there is no effective medicine for HBV infection. The interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) are important factors in the host that can aid in restraining the virus, and the <italic>C19orf66</italic> gene has a wide-antiviral spectrum.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>In this study, three SNPs in the <italic>C19orf66</italic> gene were sequenced and genotyped, and their potential function were predicted and further verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>Although no significant difference of genotype and allele frequency was observed between HBV patients and the controls, the genotype and allele frequency showed significant difference between HBV patients with HBsAg-positive and HBV patients with HBsAg-negative or controls. Genotype AA (<italic>P</italic>= 0.009) and AT (<italic>P</italic>= 0.019) of rs77076061 showed higher and lower frequency in HBV patients with HBsAg-positive than in patients with HBsAg-negative, respectively. Genotype AG of rs1979262 played a risk role in HBV patients with HBsAg-positive (13.22%) than in patients with HBsAg-negative (7.53%, <italic>P</italic>= 0.036) or controls (8.48%, <italic>P</italic>= 0.033). The frequency of allele A of rs1979262 was higher in patients with HBsAg-positive (6.61%) than in patients with HBsAg-negative (3.77%, <italic>P</italic>= 0.042), while it was the opposite for the allele G. Moreover, the associations between genotypes of SNPs in the <italic>C19orf66</italic> gene and the ALT, AST, and DBIL level were also identified. The functional assay suggested that the SNPs might influence the <italic>C19orf66</italic> expression by changing the connection of transcriptional factors.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>In summary, the association between genetic polymorphisms in the <italic>C19orf66</italic> gene and HBV infection/biochemical indices of patients was firstly identified in Yunnan Province.</p></sec>