Hierarchy of baby-linked immunogenetic risk factors in the vertical transmission of hepatitis C virus.
Mother-to-infant transmission of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) represents the major cause of pediatric HCV infection today. Immunogenetic influence has been poorly investigated and mainly confined to HLA-class II serological polymorphisms. Among 290 parities, 135 from Pavia and 155 from Bergamo, of HCV-RNA-infected Italian women, 21 babies (7.24%) were HCV-RNA positive at birth and steadily positive over 20 months of life. All the 21 infected babies and 44 randomly selected uninfected ones, born to HCV-RNA+ mothers but steadily negative for HCV-RNA during a follow-up of 2 years, and their mothers were investigated for HLA-G, -C, -DRB1, -DQA1 and -DQB1 genomic polymorphisms. Among the different covariates, HLA-Cw*07, -G*010401, -DRB1*0701, -DRB1*1401 and homozygosity for HLA-G 14bp deletion can be considered as risk factors for HCV vertical transmission. On the contrary, protection was conferred by the HLA-DQB1*06, -G*0105N, -Cw*0602, DRB1*1104 and -DRB1*1302 alleles. Our initial question was: has the immunogenetic profile any role in the protection of the fetus growing in an infected milieu and, if so, is it independent from the other non-immunogenetic parameters? The answer to both questions should be yes.
Martinetti
M
M
Immunohematology and Transfusion Center, IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, Viale Golgi 19, 27100 Pavia, Italy. m.martinetti@smatteo.pv.it
Pacati
I
I
Cuccia
M
M
Badulli
C
C
Pasi
A
A
Salvaneschi
L
L
Minola
E
E
De Silvestri
A
A
Iannone
A M
AM
Maccabruni
A
A
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D016174:Hepacivirus; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000235:genetics* / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics
D006680:HLA Antigens; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I