Gene-virus interaction between IFN-γ rs2069705 polymorphism and Epstein-Barr virus in breast cancer susceptibility among Egyptian women.

AIMS: This study investigated the association between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and breast cancer (BC) susceptibility and evaluated the role of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) rs2069705 polymorphism in disease risk and clinicopathological characteristics among Egyptian women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A case-control study was conducted on 96 histologically confirmed BC patients and 50 age-matched healthy controls. EBV serostatus was assessed by ELISA detection of anti-viral capsid antigen IgG antibodies. IFN-γ rs2069705 (A/G) genotyping was performed using TaqMan real-time PCR assays. RESULTS: EBV seropositivity was significantly higher in BC patients (93.75%) than controls (p = 0.008). Significant associations were observed between IFN-γ rs2069705 polymorphism and BC susceptibility, particularly for AA and AG genotypes and A and G alleles (p < 0.001), whereas the GG genotype showed no significant association. AA and AG genotypes were also associated with unfavorable clinicopathological features. CONCLUSION: EBV infection and IFN-γ rs2069705 polymorphism may contribute to BC susceptibility and progression among Egyptian women and could serve as potential combined biomarkers for risk assessment and prognosis.