Mannose binding lectin genotypes influence recovery from hepatitis B virus infection.
Mannose binding lectin (MBL) is a central component of the innate immune response and thus may be important for determining hepatitis B virus (HBV) persistence. Since single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the gene encoding MBL (mbl2) alter the level of functional MBL, we hypothesized that mbl2 genotypes are a determinant of HBV persistence or recovery from viral infection. We tested this hypothesis by using a nested case control design with 189 persons with HBV persistence matched to 338 individuals who had naturally recovered from HBV infection. We determined genotypes of two promoter and three exon 1 SNPs in mbl2 and grouped these genotypes according to the amount of functional MBL production. We found that the promoter SNP -221C, which leads to deficient MBL production, was more common in those subjects with viral persistence (odds ratio [OR], 1.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01 to 1.89; P = 0.04). Those subjects homozygous for the combination of promoter and exon 1 genotypes associated with the highest amount of functional MBL had significantly increased odds of recovery from infection (OR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.37 to 0.84; P = 0.005). Conversely, those homozygous for the combination of promoter and exon 1 genotypes which produce the lowest amount of functional MBL were more likely to have viral persistence (OR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.02 to 3.01; P = 0.04). These data are consistent with the hypothesis that functional MBL plays a central role in the pathogenesis of acute hepatitis B.
Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA. cthio@jhmi.edu
Chloe L
CL
Thio
Timothy
T
Mosbruger
Jacquie
J
Astemborski
Spencer
S
Greer
Gregory D
GD
Kirk
Stephen J
SJ
O'Brien
David L
DL
Thomas
D005838:Genotype; D006239:Haplotypes; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin