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. 2021 Jan 7;16(1):e0244949.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244949. eCollection 2021.

Interleukin-18 and interferon-γ single nucleotide polymorphisms in Egyptian patients with tuberculosis

Noha A Hassuna  1 , Mohamed El Feky  2 , Aliae A R Mohamed Hussein  3 , Manal A Mahmoud  3 , Naglaa K Idriss  4 , Sayed F Abdelwahab  1   5 , Maggie A Ibrahim  2
Affiliations

Interleukin-18 and interferon-γ single nucleotide polymorphisms in Egyptian patients with tuberculosis

Noha A Hassuna et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background: Interleukin-18 (IL-18) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) are cytokines of crucial role in inflammation and immune reactions. There is a growing evidence supporting important roles for IL-18 and IFN γ in tuberculosis (TB) infection and anti-tuberculosis immunity.

Objective: To evaluate the role of polymorphisms in IL-18-607 and -137 and INF-γ +874 in susceptibility to TB infection among Egyptian patients.

Methods: A case control study was conducted to investigate the polymorphism at IL-18-607, -137 and INF-γ+874 by sequence specific primer-polymerase chain reaction (SSP- PCR) in 105 patients with pulmonary and extra pulmonary tuberculosis and 106 controls.

Results: A significant protective effect against TB was found in homozygous CC genotype at IL-18 -137G/C, in addition to a 7-fold risk with GG and GC genotypes in the recessive model. Apart from a decreased risk with the AC genotype, no association was detected between the susceptibility to TB and different genotypes or alleles at the IL-18 -607A/C site. The homozygous AA genotype in INF-γ+874 showed a significant higher risk to TB than the homozygous TT or heterozygous AT genotypes with nearly a 2-fold risk of TB infection with the A allele. Regarding haplotype association, the GC haplotype was strongly associated with TB infection compared to other haplotypes.

Conclusion: These findings suggest; for the first time in Egypt; a significant risk to TB infection with SNP at the IL-18-137G/C with no LD with SNP at the IL-18-607 site. The homozygous AA genotype in INF-γ+874 showed a significant higher risk to TB than the homozygous TT or heterozygous AT genotypes.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Different haplotypes in rs1946518 rs187238 positions in IL-18 promotor a) Frequency of different haplotypes. b) Linkage equilibrium between the 2 SNPs in IL-18 (Haploview).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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