The involvement of cytokine gene polymorphism in determining the vulnerability to Blastocystis and Helicobacter pylori co-infection in the Egyptian population.

AIMS: The present study aimed to identify any potential association between IL-1ß and TNF-α gene polymorphism and the risk of Blastocystis infection as well as co-infection of Blastocystis with Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori). METHODOLOGY: A total of 314 stool samples were collected and examined microscopically for the detection of parasitic infection. DNA was extracted from all samples and utilized to identify Blastocystis molecularly. Positive samples were used for H. pylori detection by rapid tests and PCR. Moreover, we investigate polymorphism in the TNF-α gene at position -1031T/C, -308 G/A, and IL-1ß at position +3954C/T using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay. RESULTS: Out of the 314 stool samples, Blastocystis was detected in 93 (29.6 %); among them, 54 (58.1 %) had a mixed infection of Blastocystis with H. pylori. The TT genotype of the IL-1ß gene at position +3954 was significantly higher in Blasocystis-infected patients than in uninfected patients (17.2% vs. 6.3 %, P = 0.02), which might be considered a risk factor (OR = 3.2; CI =1.21-8.52). The TNF-α at position -1031 TT genotype was significantly higher in Blastocystis-infected patients than uninfected patients (44.1% vs. 10.8 %, P< 0.0001). The T allele (OR= 2.67; CI=1.51-4.72, P = 0.0008) might be considered a risk factor. The TNF- α at position -308 AA genotype is higher in Blasocystis infected than uninfected (17.2% vs 7.2 %, P = 0.03). TNF-α -308 AA (OR = 2.72; CI = 1.08-6.89) and A allele (OR= 1.46; CI= 0.797-2.66) might be considered risk factors. The TNF- α at position -308 G/A showed that the GG is the most frequent genotype in Blastocystis with H. pylori-positive patients with a significant association (P = 0.004), as well as the G allele (P = 0.02). The G allele (OR=1.924; CI= 1.071-3.454) might be considered a risk factor for co-infection of Blastocystis and H. pylori. CONCLUSION: SNPs (-1031 T/C and -308 G/A) of the TNF-α and (+3954 C/T) of the IL-1ß may be a useful marker in the assessment of the risk of Blastocystis infection, and TNF-α at position -308 G/A) may be a predictor for co-infection of Blastocystis with H. pylori.

Association Between Vitamin D Receptor Polymorphism and the Response to Helicobacter Pylori Treatment.

Background & Aims: This research aimed to determine how variations in the vitamin D receptor gene affected the response of H. pylori infections to eradication therapy. Patients and Methods: On 105 adult H. Pylori-positive patients, a prospective cohort study was carried out. PCR was used to genotype all patients' VDR gene polymorphisms. The patients in the study received standard triple eradication medication (clarithromycin 500 mg, amoxicillin 1000 mg, and omeprazole 20 mg) twice daily for 14 days. A stool test for H. pylori Ag was conducted 4 weeks following the end of treatment. Results: In our study, the usual triple therapy's H. pylori eradication rate was 75.2%. The successful eradication of H. pylori and VDR rs 2228570 gene polymorphisms was more prevalent in CT gene polymorphism (64.6%) compared to non-responders (19.2%), while treatment failure was more prevalent in CC gene polymorphism (73.1% in non-responders compared to responders 24.1%), which is statistically significant. In regards to the eradication of H. pylori and VDR rs7975232 gene polymorphisms, the success of eradication was more prevalent in AC gene polymorphism (54.4%) vs non-responders (30.4%), while all patients (14) with gene AA (17.7%) are responders to standard treatment, while the failure of treatment was more prevalent in CC gene polymorphism (69.2% in non-responder vs 27.8% in responders) which is statistically significant. Our findings demonstrated a strong correlation between patients' responses to H. pylori treatment and polymorphisms in the VDR gene (ApaI and TaqI) (P 0.05). Conclusion: As far as we are aware, this is the first study to identify a potential link between the FokI and Apal VDR polymorphism and treatment response in H pylori-positive patients. To evaluate the findings, more research with larger number of patients and different population is required.