Virol J. 2021, March 25; 18 (1): 64. doi: 10.1186 / s12985-021-01486-3.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Variation in the host’s genetic factors can result in a variation in the host’s immune response to the infection. Some chronic diseases can also affect people’s susceptibility to infectious diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of the host genetic factors primarily involved in inflammation, as well as hypercholesterolemia and diabetes with mild flu in an Iranian population.
METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, nasopharyngeal swab samples were taken between March 2015 and December 2018 from 93 patients who were referred to primary care centers in Markazi, Semnan and Zanjan provinces (central Iran) because of flu-like symptoms. The PCR test identified 49 influenza A / H1N1- and 44 flu-negative people. Twelve single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in RPAIN, FCGR2A, MBL-2, CD55, C1QBP, IL-10, TNF-α, and an unknown gene were genotyped using iPLEX GOLD SNP genotyping analysis. The hypercholesterolemia and diabetes status was determined based on the doctor’s diagnosis. The association of the genetic variants of the host, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes with the mild A / H1N1 flu was assessed using a univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis implemented in the Stata software (v.14). Statistical tests were considered significant at 0.05.
RESULTS: The incidence of diabetes and hypercholesterolemia and the mean age of the participants were significantly higher in the flu-negative group than in the flu-positive group. Of 12 SNPs, nine in our study showed no significant association with mild flu (rs1801274, rs1800451, rs2564978, rs361525, rs1800450, rs1800871, rs1800872, rs1800896, rs1800629). Possession of a G vs. A allele in two SNPs (rs3786054 and rs8070740) was associated with a three-fold increase in the likelihood of mild flu compared to flu-negative patients (95% CI: 1.1, 22.0). Having a C allele (vs. A) in the rs9856661 locus also increased the likelihood of mild flu up to two-fold (95% CI: 1.0, 10.0).
CONCLUSION: The results showed that possession of the G allele in either rs3786054 or rs8070740 loci in C1QBP or RPAIN genes reduced the risk of H1N1 infection by around 3, regardless of the patient’s age, BMI, diabetes and hypercholesterolemia. 3 times increased. Complementary functional genome studies would shed more light on the underlying mechanism of human immunity associated with these genetic markers. The genetic factors identified may play the same role in susceptibility to similar respiratory infections with RNA viruses such as SARS, MERS, and COVID-19. Future genetic association studies targeting these RNA viruses, especially COVID-19, are recommended. Studies in other ethnic groups would also reveal possible ethnic differences in genetic susceptibility to respiratory RNA viruses. Test register IR.PII.REC.1399.063.
PMID: 33766078 | DOI: 10.1186 / s12985-021-01486-3
