Association between HLA class II gene and susceptibility or resistance to chronic hepatitis B

AIM: To investigate the association between the polymorphism of HLA-DRB1, -DQA1 and -DQB1 alleles and viral hepatitis B. METHODS: HLA-DRB1, -DQA1 and -DQB1 alleles in 54 patients with chronic hepatitis B, 30 patients with acute hepatitis B and 106 normal control subjects were analyzed by using the polymerase chain reaction/sequence specific primer (PCR/SSP) technique. RESULTS: The allele frequency of HLA-DRB1*0301 in the chronic hepatitis B group was markedly higher than that in the normal control group (17.31% vs 5.67%), there was a significant correlation between them (chi2=12.3068, Pc=0.0074, RR=4.15). The allele frequency of HLA-DQA1*0501 in the chronic hepatitis B group was significantly higher than that in the normal control group (25.96% vs 13.68%), there was a significant correlation between them (chi2=9.2002, Pc=0.0157, RR=2.87). The allele frequency of HLA-DQB1*0301 in the chronic hepatitis B group was notably higher than that in the normal control group (35.58% vs 18.87%), there was a significant correlation between them (chi2=15.5938, Pc=0.0075, RR=4.07). The allele frequency of HLA-DRB1*1101/1104 in the chronic hepatitis B group was obviously lower than that in the normal control group (0.96% vs 13.33%), there was a significant correlation between them (chi2=11.9206, Pc=0.0145, RR=18.55). The allele frequency of HLA-DQA1*0301 in the chronic hepatitis B group was remarkably lower than that in the normal control group (14.42% vs 30%), there was a significant correlation between them (chi2=8.7396, Pc=0.0167, RR=0.35). CONCLUSION: HLA-DRB1*0301, HLA-DQA1*0501 and HLA-DQB1*0301 are closely related with susceptibility to chronic hepatitis B, and HLA-DRB1*1101/1104 and HLA-DQA1*0301 are closely related with resistance to chronic hepatitis B. These findings suggest that host HLA class II gene is an important factor determining the outcome of HBV infection.