Association of C-myc and p53 Gene Expression and Polymorphisms with Hepatitis C (HCV) Chronic Infection, Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) Stages in Egypt

The aim of this study is to investigate c-myc and p53 gene expression and polymorphisms in different stages of HCV infection,. Expression levels of c-myc and p53 were evaluated by RT-PCR and polymorphisms were determined by PCR-RFLP in 60 HCV patients classified into chronic infection, cirrhosis and HCC groups along with 30 controls. c-myc gene expression significant increased through the stages as compared to the control level (1.17, 1.82, 3.33 and 0.32, respectively), whereas p53 significantly declined (4,375, 3,842, 525 and 5,498, respectively). The C-myc CC genotype was predominant in the HCC group (90%) to a greater extent than in the cirrhosis, chronic infection and control cases (80%, 20% and 10%, respectively), while the GG genotype was predominant in controls (83%, as compared to 65%, 10% and 10%). The CG genotype was most common in chronic infection (15%). The p53 PP genotype predominated in controls (87%, with 15%, 10% and 20%, respectively, for the three stages) while the AA genotype demonstrated only slight increase to HCC (13%, 25% and 30%, respectively) and PA genotype was predominant in cirrhosis cases (90%). These findings reveal that c-myc and p53 gene expression and polymorphisms may be considered as promising sensitive genetic biomarkers for progression of HCV infection.