Molecular analysis of genes MICA, GPC3, PNPLA3, and TM6SF2 polymorphisms in patients of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Associations of the MICA (rs2596542), GPC3 (rs2267531), PNPLA3 (rs738409), and TM6SF2 (rs58542926) gene variants with the susceptibility to developing Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) were studied. Blood samples from 600 subjects, including 300 HCC patients and 300 age- and gender-matched controls, were collected from different hospitals in Punjab, Pakistan. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood, and PCR was performed. The results showed that the mutant (TT) of the rs2596542 of the MICA gene is significantly associated with a decreased risk of HCC, while the heterozygote (CT) of the same polymorphism shows a significantly high association with increased HCC risk of 2-fold. In the case of the rs2267531 polymorphism of the GPC3 gene, the mutant (GG) is significantly associated with decreased risk of HCC. In contrast, the heterozygous genotype (AG) of this polymorphism exhibited a highly significant association with a 7-fold higher risk of liver cancer. In the rs738409 variants of gene PNPLA3, heterozygous (AG) has a highly significant association with hepatocellular carcinoma, with increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma by 2-fold. In rs58542926, a homozygous mutant (GG) also shows a substantial correlation with HCC, with increased risk of HCC up to 2-fold. In contrast, the heterozygous (AG) genotype of the rs58542926 SNP shows a highly significant relationship with decreased risk of HCC.