Antigen-processing polymorphisms in chronic hepatitis C infection.
BACKGROUND
Cytotoxic T cell (CTL) responses may influence the course of a hepatitis C infection. CTL recognize viral peptides on HLA class I molecules. Antigenic peptides for class I presentation are generated by proteasomes and transported into the endoplasmic reticulum by the TAP proteins. It is unknown whether polymorphisms of the antigen-processing genes might influence the development of chronic hepatitis C.


METHODS
75 patients with chronic hepatitis C and 99 unrelated controls were typed for TAP and LMP2 polymorphisms. Typing was done by allele-specific PCR techniques and PCR with subsequent single-stranded confirmation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis.


RESULTS
Apart from minor increases of the TAP2*0101 allele and LMP2 heterozygotes in the chronic hepatitis group there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest, that disease association for chronic hepatitis C does not extend beyond the HLA-DQ locus. Although TAP and LMP play an important role in the processing of viral antigens, their limited polymorphisms do not show any association with the development of chronic hepatitis C.
Höhler
T
T
First Medical Department, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany.
Gerken
G
G
Schneider
P M
PM
Meyer zum Büschenfelde
K H
KH
Rittner
C
C
D000071181:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 2; D000071450:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 3; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000235:genetics; D000483:Alleles; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000145:classification; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
D000071181:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 2; D000071450:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 3; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D011506:Proteins; C073119:TAP1 protein, human; C071313:LMP-2 protein; C071692:TAP2 protein, human; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases