Genetic polymorphisms in the SLC27A5 gene are associated with biochemical characteristics of HBV patients in Yunnan.
Abstract
Background
Lipid droplets could influence hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication and release, as well as disease progression in patients with chronic HBV. The solute carrier family 27 member 5 (SLC27A5) gene is highly expressed in the liver and possessed bile acid-CoA ligase activity. However, no previous study has investigated the role of the SLC27A5 gene in HBV infection or disease progression.
Methods
A total of 400 chronic HBV patients and 300 controls were collected in Yunnan Province to genotype three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the SLC27A5 gene and investigate potential association between SNPs and HBV infection or biochemical characteristics of HBV patients. In silico prediction and dual-luciferase reporter assay were performed to explore the role of alleles of each SNP.
Results
No association was found between HBV infection and genotypes and alleles of three SNPs (rs4801275, rs2278497, and rs56225452) in the SLC27A5 gene. However, alanine transaminase (ALT) and lymphocytes (LYM) levels differed significantly among HBV patients carrying different genotypes of rs4801275. When HBV patients were stratified into HBsAg-positive and HBsAg-negative subgroups, most hepatic functional features showed significant differences between the two subgroups. Furthermore, RNA structures containing the alleles of two SNPs were predicted, and the results indicated that different alleles could partially alter RNA structures. Dual-luciferase reporter assay also demonstrated that different alleles of the three SNPs significantly influenced firefly luciferase expression level.
Conclusion
This study is the first to identify that genetic polymorphisms of the SLC27A5 gene are associated with biochemical characteristics of HBV patients in Yunnan. Furthermore, the RNA structure prediction and dual-luciferase reporter assays suggest that different alleles of the three SNPs might alter the SLC27A5 gene expression levels.