Possible Role of Duffy Antigen Receptor for Chemokines (DARC) Variants on Liver Fibrosis Progression in Chronic Hepatitis Patients

Hassouna, Mona M.; Allam, Maha M.; Abozeid, Mai; Neweer, Shereen M.; Naguib, Mary A.

doi:10.21608/ejmm.2025.391116.1690

	Possible Role of Duffy Antigen Receptor for Chemokines (DARC) Variants on Liver Fibrosis Progression in Chronic Hepatitis Patients
Egyptian Journal of Medical Microbiology
Volume 34, Issue 4, October 2025
Document Type: New and original researches in the field of Microbiology.
DOI: 10.21608/ejmm.2025.391116.1690
View on SCiNiTO
Authors
Mona M. Hassouna¹; Maha M. Allam¹; Mai Abozeid ²; Shereen M. Neweer³; Mary A. Naguib¹
¹Clinical and Chemical Pathology Department, National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, Menoufia, Egypt
²Hepatology and Gastroenterology Department, National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, Menoufia, Egypt
³Master's Degree in clinical Pathology, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, Menoufia, Egypt
Abstract
*Background:* Cirrhosis results from chronic liver injury. Chemokines have a central role in modulating immune activity. The Duffy Antigen Receptor for Chemokines (DARC), functioning as a decoy receptor, helps maintain chemokine balance in the bloodstream. Objective: To explore how the DARC rs12075 (125A > G; Asp42Gly) genetic variation relates to liver fibrosis progression in chronic hepatitis patients. Methodology: A case-control design was employed. The study included 80 patients with chronic hepatitis C or B (40 with cirrhosis, 40 without) and 40 matched healthy individuals as controls. All participants underwent routine diagnostic procedures and liver fibrosis assessment via FibroScan. The rs12075 polymorphism was genotyped using real-time PCR. Results: The GG genotype was less frequent in the cirrhotic group compared to other groups. Furthermore, a lower frequency of liver cirrhosis was observed in the dominant genetic model (GG+AG versus AA genotypes). The G allele was notably underrepresented among cirrhotic patients (25%) compared to both non-cirrhotics (40%) and controls (41.3%), showing a potential protective association (ORs of 0.5 and 0.47, p = 0.043 and p = 0.029, respectively). Conclusion: The DARC rs12075 polymorphism may influence fibrosis advancement in chronic viral hepatitis. The G allele potentially offers a protective effect against cirrhosis.
Keywords
DARC; chemokines; liver fibrosis; chronic hepatitis


Statistics Article View: 65