title: Association of interferon-gamma gene haplotype in the Chinese population with hepatitis B virus infection.
abstract: In general, cytokines encoded by different genes of human genome might strongly influence host cell-mediated immune responses, which play an important role in the clearance of virus by the infected host. Interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) produced by T lymphocytes and natural killer cells plays an essential role in affecting cellular immune responses. A functional study demonstrated that two single nucleotide polymorphisms located in the IFN-gamma gene intron (at positions +874 and +2109) were involved in its transcriptional regulation. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether IFN-gamma gene polymorphisms or its haplotypes might be associated with predisposition to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in the Chinese population. The study included 181 cases with HBV infection and 272 gender, age-matched healthy controls. All genotyping were identified by polymerase chain reaction in association with the measurement of amplification refractory mutation system. A significant difference was observed between case and control groups. The frequency of +874A allele was significantly higher in patients than in controls (OR = 2.25, 95%CI = 1.69-2.99, P < 0.0001). However, no significant difference was found in the allelic frequencies of IFN-gamma +2109A/G between cases and controls (P > 0.05). By haplotype analysis, the frequency of haplotype AG (+874A and +2109G) revealed a significant difference in the cases in comparison to controls (P < 0.0001). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that individuals possessing haplotype AG had an increased likelihood of HBV infection (OR = 8.14, 95%CI = 4.98-13.30). Our results suggest that haplotype AG containing +874A and +2109G may be a crucial risk factor of genetic susceptibility to HBV infection in the Chinese population.
authors.affiliation: Medical College, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Meiqiang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Bangwei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Hongkun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Xiaolin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Changqing
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006239:Haplotypes; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000235:genetics*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics*; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011153:Population / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D007371:Interferon-gamma