The aims of this study were to investigate the interplay between autophagy and apoptosis and to investigate the association between both of autophagy and apoptosis and vitamin D and its receptor in hepatitis C virus (HCV) viral infection and its implication in the progression into hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).A cross-sectional study where serum levels of microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3); marker of autophagy, caspase-3; marker of apoptosis, vitamin D3 and vitamin D receptor (VDR) were measured in healthy subjects as well as HCV and HCV-HCC patients using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique.Collectively, the liver profile revealed hepatic dysfunctions in HCV patients with or without HCC.
By modulating the antiviral immune response via vitamin D receptor, the active form of vitamin D (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, calcitriol) could play a central role in protection against respiratory virus infections.
Therefore, because OBI is a form of viral infection, the aim of this study was to investigate the association between polymorphisms in intron 8 and exon 9 of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) with OBI.