rs4574921

This study identified rs4979462 in the TNFSF15 locus as the causal variant for primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) susceptibility in the Japanese population through integrated analysis including case-control association (n=1279 PBC cases, n=1091 controls; P=1.85×10⁻¹⁴, OR=1.57) and in vitro functional studies. The PBC-susceptible allele generates a novel NF-1 transcription factor binding site, enhancing TNFSF15 expression and increasing susceptibility to autoimmune liver disease.

This is a special issue of the Italian medical journal BeAdfiles (September 2012) dedicated to genetic conditioning in HIV and hepatitis virus infections. It reviews the major genetic polymorphisms that influence disease progression, treatment response, and drug toxicity in HIV and chronic hepatitis B and C infections, with particular emphasis on IL28B polymorphisms (rs809917 and others) predicting HCV treatment response to interferon-alpha and ribavirin therapy, and ITPA gene variants protecting against ribavirin-induced anemia. The issue also covers pharmacogenetic markers (CYP2B6, ABCB1, HLA-B*5701) and their clinical applications in antiretroviral therapy.