Lack of Ser267Phe variant of sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide among Moroccans regardless of hepatitis B virus infection status

BACKGROUND: The sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide, encoded by SLC10A1, was identified as a functional receptor for hepatitis B virus (HBV). The objective of this study was to determine if there was an association of the Ser267Phe variant (rs2296651) with HBV infection status in Moroccan patients. METHODS: Using a TaqMan 5' allelic discrimination assay, the Ser267Phe variant was genotyped in 286 chronic hepatitis B patients, 135 individuals with spontaneous clearance from HBV infection and 109 healthy controls negative for hepatitis B serological markers. RESULTS: In this cohort, we detected only wild-type genotype (S267S) in all groups. This polymorphism was not associated with the HBV infection status in Moroccan patients. CONCLUSIONS: The S267F variant is absent among Moroccans regardless of chronic HBV infection status.