SNP rs688 within the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDL-R) gene associates with HCV susceptibility

GS Steba, Sylvie M. Koekkoek, Michael W.T. Tanck, Joost W. Vanhommerig, Jan T.M. van der Meer, David Kwa, Kees Brinkman, Maria Prins, Ben Berkhout, Georgios Pollakis, Richard Molenkamp, Janke Schinkel, William A. Paxton*,

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Background & Aims: Despite high-risk behaviour, 10%-20% of HCV multiple exposed individuals remain uninfected (MEU), whilst the remainder become infected (MEI). We hypothesize that host factors play a role in HCV susceptibility. We aimed to identify polymorphisms in host genes that encode for proteins involved in viral entry: CD81, Scavenger receptor 1 (SR-1), Low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDL-R), Claudin-1 (CLDN1), Occludin (OCLN) and Niemann-Pick C1–like 1 (NPC1L1). Methods: Multiple exposed infected and MEU from two observational cohorts were selected. From the MSM study of acute infection with HCV (MOSAIC), HIV-1 infected MEU cases (n = 30) and HIV-1 infected MEI controls (n = 32) were selected based on reported high-risk behaviour. From the Amsterdam Cohorts Studies (ACS) injecting drug users (IDU) cohort, MEU cases (n = 40) and MEI controls (n = 22) were selected who injected drugs for ≥2 years, in the nineties, when HCV incidence was high. Selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were determined by sequencing or SNP assays. Results: No associations were found for SNPs within genes coding for CD81, SR-1, Claudin-1 or Occludin between the MEU and MEI individuals from either cohort. We did observe a significant association for rs688 within the LDL-R gene with HCV infection (OR: 0.41 P = 0.001), however, LDL cholesterol levels did not vary between individuals carrying the differential SNPs. Additionally, a marginal significant effect was found for rs217434 and rs2072183 (OR: 2.07 P = 0.032 and OR: 1.76 P = 0.039, respectively) within NPC1L1. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that the rs688 SNP within the LDL-R gene associates with HCV susceptibility through mucosal as well as intravenous exposure.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)463-469
Number of pages7
JournalLiver International
Volume39
Issue number3
Early online date27 Sept 2018
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2019
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • HCV
  • HIV-1
  • LDL-R
  • polymorphism
  • rs688
  • single nucleotide

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