The investigation of genetic polymorphisms in viral-sensing pathway affecting development of diseases caused by hepatitis viruses.

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26860536
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Gastroenterology
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: MIKI Daiki 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 統合生命医科学研究センター, 副チームリーダー (10584592)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: SNP

Outline of Final Research Achievements

There are distinct mechanisms for viral sensing in the early phase of infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). The former is DNA virus and the latter is RNA virus. In this study, we investigated genetic polymorphisms in viral sensing pathway affecting development of diseases caused by hepatitis viruses. NTCP was recently identified as a hepatocyte receptor for HBV. It has been reported that the amino acid substitution S267F, which corresponds to a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2296651, of NTCP is defective in HBV receptor function. However, we found that the SNP is rare and could not find any genetic association between the SNP and HBV persistence nor development of HBV-induced HCC in Japanese population. We also investigated polymorphism of viral RNA sensor RIG-I, and found a supportive data for the theory that RIG-I functions not only as a RNA sensor but as a DNA sensor.

Free Research Field

肝臓病学、ゲノム医科学、ウイルス学