Objective: To investigate the association between HLA-DQA1 gene polymorphism and the outcomes of hepatitis B virus infection in Chinese Han population.
Methods: A total of 180 consecutive patients with biopsy-proven hepatitis B virus infection (120 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 60 patients with asymptomatic HBV carrier) and 60 subjects who resolved from HBV infection spontaneously were studied. Genotype of human leukocyte antigen(HLA)-DQA1 was detected by polymerase chain reaction sequence specific primer(PCR-SSP).
Results: (1) The frequency of HLA-DQA1 * 0201 allele in chronic hepatitis B group was significant higher than the frequency in resolved from HBV infection spontaneously group (38.3% vs. 5.8%, P < 0.001, A = 10.04, 95% CI: 4.48-22.48). The frequency of HLA-DQA1 * 0102 allele in chronic hepatitis B group was significant lower than the frequency in resolved from HBV infection spontaneously group (9.6% vs. 36.7%, P < 0.001, A = 0.183, 95% CI: 0.10-0.32). (2) The frequency of HLA-DQA1 * 0201 allele in chronic hepatitis B group was significant higher than the frequency in asymptomatic HBV carrier group (38.3% vs. 7.5%, P < 0.01, A = 7.667, 95% CI:3.7-15.87). The frequency of HLA-DQA1 * 0102 allele in chronic hepatitis B group was significant lower than the frequency in asymptomatic HBV carrier group (20% vs. 9.6%, P < 0.01, A = 0.424, 95% CI: 0.23-0.79).
Conclusion: HLA-DQA1 gene polymorphism may play an important role in the outcomes of hepatitis B virus infection in-Chinese Han population. The HLA-DQA1 * 0102 allele could keep individuals away from HBV infection, and HLA-DQA1 * 0201 allele could aggravate persistant infection of HBV and hepatic inflammatory.