Analysis for the association of polymorphic variants of the VDR gene(rs2228570) with the risk of herpetic keratitis occurrence after COVID-19

Mohylevets, A. O.; Sereda, E. V.; Drozhzhyna, G. I.; Livshyts, G. B.; Gorodna, O. V.; Livshits, L. A.

doi:10.7124/bc.000B2B

Biopolym. Cell. 2025; 41(4):283.

http://dx.doi.org/10.7124/bc.000B2B

Molecular Biomedicine

Analysis for the association of polymorphic variants of the VDR gene(rs2228570) with the risk of herpetic keratitis occurrence after COVID-19

2Mohylevets A. O., 3Sereda E. V., 3Drozhzhyna G. I., 1Livshyts G. B., 1Gorodna O. V., 1Livshits L. A.

Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, NAS of Ukraine
150, Akademika Zabolotnoho Str., Kyiv, Ukraine, 03143
Educational and Scientific Center “Institute of Biology and Medicine” of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
2, Akademika Hlushkova Ave., Kyiv, Ukraine, 03022
SI “The Filatov Institute of Eye Diseases and Tissue Therapy of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine”
49/51, Frantsuz'ky Blvd, Odesa, Ukraine, 65000

Abstract

Aim. To investigate the association between polymorphic variants of the VDR gene rs2228570 and clinical features ofherpetic keratitis in adult patients who have had COVID-19. Methods. Peripheral blood samples from patients(N = 50) with a history of herpetic keratitis that developed after COVID-19 were studied. In comparison with (N = 104) unrelated healthy controls. DNA samples were isolated by lymphocyte lysis with proteinase K followed by the use of DNA purification kit (“MBA LABS”). Analysis of the VDR gene (rs2228570) was performed using fluorescently labeled TaqMan probes manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific (USA). Statistical analysis was performed using Fisher’s exact test. Results. The results of genotyping followed by comparative statistical analysis revealed significant differences in frequencies of both homozygous genotypes between patients with recurrent HK and controls (p = 0.01636). The GG genotype was significantly more common in the recurrent HK group. Importantly, the frequency of A allelecarriers (AA+GA) was statistically significantly higher in the control group (p < 0.05), OR=0.3381 with 95% CI(0.1433—0.797). Conclusions. It was shown that the G allele of the FokI VDR gene (rs2228570) polymorphism is associated with recurrent herpetic keratitis in patients from Ukraine, indicating it as a marker of hereditary predisposition to the development of recurrent herpetic keratitis after COVID-19.

Keywords: herpetic keratitis, COVID-19, genetic marker, VDR gene

Full text: (PDF, in English)

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