Cannabinoid receptor 2-63 QQ variant is associated with persistently normal aminotransferase serum levels in chronic hepatitis C.

• Main Authors: Nicola Coppola, Rosa Zampino, Caterina Sagnelli, Giulia Bellini, Aldo Marrone, Maria Stanzione, Nicolina Capoluongo, Adriana Boemio, Carmine Minichini, Luigi Elio Adinolfi, Sabatino Maione, Emanuele Miraglia Del Giudice, Evangelista Sagnelli, Francesca Rossi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2014-01-01
• Series: PLoS ONE
• Online Access: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/24940753/pdf/?tool=EBI

<h4>Background and aim</h4>To evaluate in anti-HCV-positive patients the clinical impact of the rs35761398 variant of the CNR2 gene leading to the substitution of Gln (Q) of codon 63 of the cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) with Arg (R).<h4>Patients and methods</h4>253 consecutive anti-HCV-/HCV-RNA-positive patients were enrolled, of whom 53 were HCV carriers with persistently normal ALT (PNALT group) and 200 had a history of steadily abnormal serum ALT values (abnormal ALT group). All patients were naive for antiviral therapy and were screened for the CNR2 rs35761398 polymorphism by a TaqMan assay.<h4>Results</h4>Subjects in the PNALT group, compared with those in the abnormal ALT group were older (58.5±12 vs. 50.7±12.4 years, p = 0.001), more frequently female (66% vs. 42%, p = 0.003), with lower body mass index (BMI) (24.5±3.1 vs. 26.6±4.6, p = 0.003), and more frequently with HCV genotype 2 (43.1% vs 17.7%, p = 0.0002) and CB2-63 QQ variant (34% vs. 11%, p = 0.0001). Considering all 253 patients, no difference in the demographic, biochemical, or virological data was observed between patients in the different CB2-63 variants. The logistic regression analysis identified CB2-63 QQ, HCV genotype 2, older age and lower BMI as independent predictors of PNALT (p<0.00001).<h4>Discussion</h4>The CB2-63 QQ variant in HCV patients was independently associated with the PNALT status.