Association of interleukin-12 p40 gene 3'-untranslated region polymorphism and outcome of HCV infection.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of interleukin-12 p40 gene (IL12B) 3'-untranslated region polymorphism on the outcome of HCV infection.


METHODS
A total of 133 patients who had been infected with HCV for 12-25 (18.2+/-3.8) years, were enrolled in this study. Liver biochemical tests were performed with an automated analyzer and HCV RNA was detected by fluorogenic quantitative polymerase chain reaction. B-mode ultrasound was used for liver examination. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used for the detection of IL12B (1188A/C) polymorphism.


RESULTS
Self-limited infection was associated with AC genotype (OR = 3.48; P = 0.001) and persistent infection was associated with AA genotype (OR = 0.34; P = 0.014) at site 1188 of IL12B. In patients with persistent HCV infection, no significant differences were found regarding the age, gender, duration of infection and biochemical characteristics (P>0.05). According to B-mode ultrasound imaging and clinical diagnosis, patients with persistent infection were divided into groups based on the severity of infection. No significant differences were found in the frequency of IL-12 genotype (1188A/C) between different groups (P>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The polymorphism of IL12B (1188A/C) appears to have some influence on the outcome of HCV infection.
Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, China.
Li-Min
LM
Yin
Wan-Fu
WF
Zhu
Lai
L
Wei
Xiao-Yuan
XY
Xu
De-Gui
DG
Sun
Yan-Bin
YB
Wang
Wen-Mei
WM
Fan
Min
M
Yu
Xiu-Lan
XL
Tian
Qi-Xin
QX
Wang
Yan
Y
Gao
Hui
H
Zhuang
D020413:3' Untranslated Regions / Q000235:genetics*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000235:genetics*; D053762:Interleukin-12 Subunit p40; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; C500879:IL12B protein, human; D053762:Interleukin-12 Subunit p40; D018664:Interleukin-12