Association of XRCC1 p. Arg194Trp gene polymorphism with the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in HCV Egyptian population: A pilot case-control study

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common and fatal primary liver cancer. Genetic variants of DNA repair systems can reduce DNA repair capability and increase HCC risk. <b>Objectives:</b> This study aimed to examine, in Egyptian hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients, the relationship between the X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1) rs1799782 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and HCC susceptibility. <b>Methods:</b> We included 100 adult HCV-positive patients with HCC and 100 adult HCV-positive patients with liver cirrhosis as pathological controls. XRCC1 rs1799782 SNP genotyping was done in both groups using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). The distribution of genotypes in patients and controls was compared using several inheritance models. <b>Results:</b> We found that the CT genotype, when analyzed under both the co-dominant (OR (95 % CI): 2.147 (1.184-3.893), <i>p</i> = .012) and the over-dominant (OR (95 % CI): 2.055 (1.153-3.660), <i>p</i> = .015) models, as well as the combined CT and TT genotypes under the dominant model (OR (95 % CI) of 1.991 (1.133-3.497), <i>p</i> = .017), were associated with increased susceptibility to HCC. The frequency of the T allele was higher among HCC participants (32%) compared to those with cirrhosis (23.5%) and carrying the T allele increased the risk of HCC by 1.532 times, however, these associations did not reach statistical significance (<i>p</i>-values >0.05). Moreover, the variant T allele was associated with worse clinical manifestations and laboratory results among the HCC group, but AFP levels were not affected significantly. <b>Conclusions:</b> Egyptians with XRCC1 rs1799782 SNP may have a higher risk of HCV-related HCC. More extensive multi-center prospective investigations must confirm this association.