CYP24A1 genetic variants in the vitamin D metabolic pathway are involved in the outcomes of hepatitis C virus infection among high-risk Chinese population

Abstract Background and aims It has been demonstrated that 1,25-hydroxyvitamin-D3-24-hydroxylase, encoded by CYP24A1 gene, is a key enzyme that neutralizes the active vitamin D3 metabolite 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] in response to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This study aimed to investigate whether CYP24A1 genetic variation is associated with HCV infection outcomes. Methods 848 HCV chronically infected subjects, 507 natural clearance subjects, and 1017 uninfected controls were enrolled. Nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in theCYP24A1 gene were genotyped using the Sequenom MassARRAY platform. Results After adjusting for age, gender, and routes of infection, logistic regression analyses showed that rs6013897-A was associated with an elevated risk of HCV infection (P  Conclusion These findings indicate that SNPs in CYP24A1 gene may contribute to the risk of HCV infection and chronic HCV infection among a high-risk Chinese population.