title: Human leukocyte antigen phenotypes and hepatitis C viral load.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  After hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, 55% to 85% of patients become chronic carriers. HCV-RNA could be detected in the sera of these patients though the viral load varies. Various factors may be involved in determining the viral load.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we want to investigate the relationship between human leukocyte antigen phenotypes and hepatitis C viral load.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and sixty HCV-RNA positive subjects were investigated in this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We have analyzed 160 HCV-RNA positive subjects and found that lower HCV viral load is significantly associated with HBsAg-positivity (P = 0.017) but not age, gender, or mixed infection (infection with different HCV genotypes). One hundred and fifty-four HBsAg-negative subjects were further analyzed to explore the relationship between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) phenotypes and HCV viral load. Subjects with certain HLA alleles (A*34, B*56, DRB1*1502) have significantly lower viral load than those without these alleles (P = 0.0074, 0.0039 and 0.016, respectively) while those with HLA-B*4001 have significantly higher viral load (P = 0.0026). Furthermore, lower viral load was significantly associated with HLA-DRB1 heterozygosity in subjects with HLA-B heterozygosity (P = 0.048).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggests a role for host immunogenetic factors in determining viral load during HCV infection.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Aboriginal Health, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Li-Yu
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hans Hsienhong
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Tsung-Dao
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ya-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chi-Tan
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Mu-Liang
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Shih-Yen
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000145:classification*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000821:virology; D006579:Heterozygote; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D010641:Phenotype; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D012367:RNA, Viral