Cytokine gene polymorphisms in Japanese patients with hepatitis B virus infection--association between TGF-beta1 polymorphisms and hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
In this study, we determined the frequencies of the genotypes associated with the polymorphism of the cytokines genes, and investigated their association with the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers.


METHODS
Genetic polymorphism in the cytokines TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, TGF-beta1, IL-6, and IL-10 were studied in 236 Japanese patients with HBV infection. The genetic polymorphisms of these cytokines were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific primer (SSP).


RESULTS
There was no statistically significant difference in the genetic polymorphisms of TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, and IL-10 genes between HBV carriers with HCC and those without HCC. However, the TGF-beta1+29 (codon 10) C/C genotype was lower in HBV carriers with HCC than in those without HCC (HCC 14.6% vs non-HCC 31.9%). The association of HCC was significantly lower in HBV carriers with C/C genotype than in those with T/C or T/T genotype in position +29 of the TGF-beta1 gene.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that the genetic polymorphism in codon 10 of the TGF-beta1 gene may play a role in HCC development in patients with chronic HBV infection.
Migita
Kiyoshi
K
Clinical Research Center, NHO Nagasaki Medical Center, Kubara 2-1001-1, Omura 856-8562, Japan. migita@nmc.hosp.go.jp
Miyazoe
Seiji
S
Maeda
Yumi
Y
Daikoku
Manabu
M
Abiru
Seigo
S
Ueki
Tshihito
T
Yano
Koji
K
Nagaoka
Shinya
S
Matsumoto
Takehiro
T
Nakao
Kazuhiko
K
Hamasaki
Keisuke
K
Yatsuhashi
Hiroshi
H
Ishibashi
Hiromi
H
Eguchi
Katsumi
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology; D003062:Codon; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000235:genetics; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics; D007564:Japan; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics
D003062:Codon; D015850:Interleukin-6; C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma