Brieflands Hepat Mon 1735-3408 24 1 2024 3 16 10.5812/hepatmon-139309 Mitra Ahadi Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ghaem Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran Mahdieh Khoshakhlagh Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran Negin Masoudifar Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ghaem Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran Sina Gerayli Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran Samaneh Sepahi Food and Beverages Safety Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran Sina Rostami Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran Zahra Meshkat Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran Alireza Pasdar Division of Applied Medicine, Medical School, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK Research Article 2024 2 18 2023 8 9 2024 3 16 2024 12 31 Background : Recent studies have suggested that polymorphisms in the Interleukin (IL)-6 gene promoter might be linked to chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, potentially affecting the infection's outcome. Objectives : The purpose of this study was to determine whether the genetic variant of IL-6 gene polymorphisms (-174 G>C) is associated with HCV in patients compared to control subjects. Methods : Seventy-one patients infected with HCV and 79 healthy individuals referred to a hepatitis clinic in Mashhad, northeast Iran, were enrolled in the study. Blood samples were collected, and laboratory tests, including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for HCV antibodies and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for confirming HCV-positive results, were conducted. Genomic DNA was extracted from whole blood, and the ARMS-PCR method was used for genotyping the IL-6 gene polymorphisms (-174 G>C). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 21 software. Results : The C allele was found to be more frequent in HCV-infected patients compared to controls (P < 0.05; odds ratio [OR] = 2.91, 95% CI: 1.85 - 3.16), but this association was not significant after adjusting for confounders. Additionally, in a recessive model analysis (CC vs. GG + GC), the CC genotype was more prevalent among HCV-infected patients than in healthy individuals, though not significantly (P = 0.21; OR = 2.91, 95% CI: 0.55 - 15.53). The GG polymorphism was the most common genotype in both groups (P = 0.44), while the CC genotype was the least common (P = 0.12). Conclusions : The IL-6 gene polymorphism at this position may impart a certain level of risk for HCV infection, with carriers of the C allele potentially more susceptible to this infection. However, to further elucidate the role of this polymorphism in HCV, a larger cohort of HCV-infected patients and healthy individuals may be required. https://brieflands.com/articles/hepatmon-139309 https://hepatmon.brieflands.com/cdn/dl/ce5efd3a-e38f-11ee-bfb1-d35741a2c58b <i>Interleukin-6</i> Polymorphisms Viral Infection Association Study