Effects of mannose-binding lectin and mannose-binding lectin polymorphisms on treatment response in patients with chronic hepatitis C

Abstract

Background/Aims: The natural course and clinical outcome of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is related to the interaction between HCV and the immune response of the host. Only a limited number of studies have investigated the role of mannose-binding lectin (MBL) levels in HCV infection. The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between MBL levels and gene polymorphisms on treatment response in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Materials and Methods: Serum MBL levels from 50 CHC patients who completed treatment at least 24 weeks before the present study and 75 healthy HCV-negative controls were measured. In addition, the presence of codon 54 mutations was investigated. Correlational analyses were performed to determine relationships between MBL levels and treatment response. Results: In patients, mean serum MBL levels were lower and the rate of codon 54 mutations was higher. However, these differences were not statically significant. In both patients and controls, serum MBL levels were significantly lower in individuals with codon 54 mutations. Moreover, serum MBL levels and the rate of the codon 54 mutation were similar in patients regardless of treatment response. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that low MBL levels do not increase the susceptibility for HCV infection. Furthermore, MBL levels were not found to have a significant effect on the course of the disease or treatment response.

MBL2 Genetic Variants in HCV Infection Susceptibility, Spontaneous Viral Clearance and Pegylated Interferon Plus Ribavirin Treatment Response

“…Although MBL innate immunity molecule has been reported as possessing antiviral activity against HCV, in our study we did not find association between functional MBL2 polymorphisms and susceptibility to be infected by HCV, in agreement with previous genetic studies , performed on ethnic groups different from the Italian one here analysed; moreover, Killpatrick et al . described a lack of association between circulating serum levels of MBL and susceptibility towards hepatitis C infection .…”

“… did not show any influence of MBL serum expression on interferon therapy response. Furthermore, no association was found between MBL2 polymorphisms and hepatitis outcome in treated Turkish and Greek HCV patient.…”

HBV Viral Load and Liver Enzyme Levels May Be Associated with the Wild MBL2 AA Genotype

“…Nevertheless, a greater frequency of genotype AA was observed in patients with mild and moderate fibrosis in all groups. These results indicate that, in the population studied, these polymorphisms did not influence the progression to one of the most severe forms of the disease (i.e., cirrhosis), corroborating other studies that also found no correlation between these polymorphisms and chronic liver disease progression [28–31]. It is relevant to mention that some studies found an association between the progression of active chronic liver disease or cirrhosis with the MBL ∗ B allele and the MBL/MASP-1 complex in patients with HCV [20, 32] and HBV [33–35].…”