Genetic variants of IFIH1 and DHX58 affect the chronicity of hepatitis C in the Chinese Han population

Abstract

Hepatitis C remains a major public health problem in the world. The host immune system plays a key role in viral clearance. This study aimed to investigate the connection between retinoic acid-inducible gene I-like (RIG-I-like) receptor gene polymorphism and hepatitis C chronicity in the Chinese Han population. The current study genotyped three SNPs (IFIH1 rs10930046 and DHX58 rs2074158, rs2074160) to assess their association with the chronicity of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among 1,590 participants (590 spontaneous HCV clearance cases and 1,000 persistent infection patients). Our research shows that DHX58 rs2074158-G allele (dominant model: adjusted OR = 1.53, 95% CI [1.20–1.95], P = 0.001; additive model: adjusted OR = 1.50, 95% CI [1.27–1.78], P < 0.001) and IFIH1 rs10930046-C allele (additive model: adjusted OR = 1.26, 95% CI [1.07–1.49], P = 0.005) were associated with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). And the risk of CHC increased in people carrying more unfavorable genotypes (rs2074158-AG/GG or rs10930046-CC), with the chronic rates for genotypes number from zero to two in 60.69%, 57.33%, and 85.93%, respectively (adjusted OR = 3.64, 95% CI [2.18–6.08]; P < 0.001). Genetic polymorphism of IFIH1 and DHX58 may be related to CHC in the Chinese Han population. Furthermore, the risk of CHC increases as the number of unfavorable genotypes carried by the HCV-infected person increases. IFIH1 rs10930046, DHX58 rs2074158, age, ALT, and AST levels were all independent predictors of CHC.

Cell and developmental biology: grand challenges

“…However, efforts to determine the properties, folding, and higher-order structure of native chromosomes have been frustrated by the limited resolution offered by light microscopy. Single-particle cryogenic electron microscopy (CryoEM) can generate highresolution structures of many biological assemblies (Berger et al, 2023), and as newer, cheaper, and more versatile instruments have become available (McMullan et al, 2023), these approaches together with focused ion beam (FIB) milling are now being used to elucidate native chromosome, chromatin, and nucleosome structures (Hou et al, 2023). Optical trapping approaches (or optical tweezers) can capture native chromosomes or DNA strands, allowing them to be manipulated and tested as experimental or biochemical polymers.…”