[Genetic polymorphism of dendritic cell-specific ICAM-3 grabbing nonintegrin and DC-SIGNR's exon 4 in Chinese hepatitis C patients].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To study into the genetic polymorphism of DC-SIGN and DC-SIGNR's exon 4 in Chinese hepatitis C patients and its relationship with HCV infection susceptibility. METHODS: Patients with hepatitis C (n=300, group A) and healthy subjects (n=520, group B) were genotyped and analysed for the repeat sequence of polymorphism of DC-SIGN and DC-SIGNR's exon 4 using PCR and DNA sequencing. RESULTS: The distribution of genotypes and alleles in DC-SIGN's exon 4 in the two groups did not differ significantly (P > 0.05). The difference of allele frequency in DC-SIGNR's exon 4 between the two groups was also not significant (P > 0.05). However, 9/5 genotype distribution frequency of DC-SIGNR's exon 4 in patients with hepatitis C was significantly higher than that in the healthy subjects (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: There is no significant correlation between the genetic polymorphism of DC-SIGN's exon 4 and HCV infection susceptibility. 9/5 genotype distribution frequency of DC-SIGNR's exon 4 in patients with hepatitis C is significantly higher and may be associated with HCV infection susceptibility.