Human leukocyte antigen class II alleles may contribute to the severity of hepatitis C virus-related liver disease.
Whether the host's immune response genes influence the severity of hepatitis C virus (HCV) liver disease is controversial. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II alleles were analyzed in 233 HCV RNA-positive patients with chronic active hepatitis (197 patients with Knodell index of fibrosis F0-F3 and 36 patients with index of F4). The 2 groups did not differ by sex, duration of infection, mode of contamination, alcohol consumption, or HCV genotype. Patients with cirrhosis were older than those without (56+/-12 vs. 46+/-14 years; P<10-4) and had a lower DRB1*11 allele frequency (5.6% vs. 14.5%; P=.037), whereas DRB1*03 and DQB1*0201 frequencies appeared to be higher (DRB1*03, 18.1% vs. 9.6%; DQB1*0201, 37.5% vs. 23.4%; P=.04, corrected P value is not significant). Mean index of fibrosis was higher in DR3-positive than in DR11-positive patients (2.14 vs. 1.58; P=.05). By multivariate analysis, cirrhosis was associated with male sex and age >50 years. HLA class II alleles may weakly contribute to the severity of HCV liver disease. Of persons infected with HCV, only 15%-20% spontaneously clear the virus, and the rest become chronically infected.
Hüe
Sophie
S
Laboratory of Immunology, Hôpital Necker, Paris, France.
Cacoub
Patrice
P
Renou
Christophe
C
Halfon
Philippe
P
Thibault
Vincent
V
Charlotte
Frédéric
F
Picon
Magali
M
Rifflet
Hervé
H
Piette
Jean Charles
JC
Pol
Stanislas
S
Caillat-Zucman
Sophie
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D059810:HLA-DR Serological Subtypes; D015803:HLA-DR3 Antigen / Q000235:genetics; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors
D005819:Genetic Markers; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059810:HLA-DR Serological Subtypes; C080766:HLA-DR11 antigen; D015803:HLA-DR3 Antigen; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II