DISTRIBUTION OF GENETIC POLYMORPHISMS ASSOCIATED TO HEPATITIS C VIRUS (HCV) ANTIVIRAL RESPONSE IN A MULTIETHNIC AND ADMIXED POPULATION

TRINKS J, , ; CAPUTO M; HULANIUK ML; BURGOS PRATX L, ; RÉ V,; FORTUNY L, ; FRÍAS A, ; TORRES O, ; NUÑEZ F, ; GADANO A, ; ARGIBAY P,; CORACH D,; FLICHMAN D.

Franckfurt

Congreso; THE VIRAL HEPATITIS CONGRESS Frankfurt Messe Congress Centre; 2013

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) near IL28B and ITPA genes have been described as predictors of response to antiviral treatment and ribavirin induced-hemolytic anemia in HCV patients, respectively. The prevalence of these polymorphisms differs among ethnic groups; however, there is a paucity of information about South American populations. Hence, the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of these SNPs in the healthy population of different ethnic groups residing in Argentina. DNA samples were obtained from 1287 unrelated anti-HCV [-] volunteers and grouped as follows: i) Argentines (n=951) born in the Pampean region; and ii) immigrants (n=336) from other Latin American countries (178 Bolivians; 88 Paraguayans and 70 Peruvians). SNPs rs1127354C>A (ITPA) and rs12979860C>T (IL28B) were PCR-amplified and characterized by nucleotide sequences. Ethnicity was assessed by analysis of Native American mitochondrial DNA and Y-SNPs (maternal and paternal haplogroups, respectively) using Real Time PCR followed by High Resolution Melting. Fisher?s exact test was used for statistical analysis. A p value T) polymorphism, CC genotype -related to favorable treatment response- was observed in 51.9% of Argentines vs. 35.9% of Bolivians (p