Human leukocyte antigen alleles and haplotypes associated with chronicity of hepatitis B virus infection in Koreans.
BACKGROUND
Chronic hepatitis B infection is the leading cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Human leukocyte antigen may be involved in the chronicity of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.


OBJECTIVE
To analyze the association between HBV chronicity and human leukocyte antigen alleles and haplotypes of 636 organ donors and recipients.


METHODS
Subjects were categorized into 2 groups according to their clinical and serologic profiles, specifically, an HBV natural convalescent group and an HBV chronic carrier (CC) group.


RESULTS
Hepatitis B chronicity was positively associated with A33 (P = .004, odds ratio [OR] = 1.59) and DR7 (P < .001, OR = 2.58), and negatively associated with HLA-DR13 (P < .001, OR = 0.40). Coexpression of A33 and DR7 was significantly higher in the CC group (OR = 3.63), compared with that of either allele alone (OR = 1.76 in A33; OR = 2.53 in DR7). The statistically significant haplotypes were B44-DR7 (P < .001, OR = 5.44), A33-DR7 (P < .001, OR = 4.47), and A33-B44-DR7 (P < .001, OR = 7.31) in the CC group.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that alleles of A33, DR7, and haplotypes containing DR7 are associated with HBV chronicity among Koreans. Moreover, the 2 antigens had an additive effect on chronicity. These findings support the theory that human leukocyte antigen class I-restricted cytotoxic T cells and human leukocyte antigen class II-restricted helper T cells play an important role in HBV chronicity.
Hwang
Sang-Hyun
SH
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Asan Medical Center and University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 388-1 Pungnap-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 138-736 Korea.
Sohn
Yong-Hak
YH
Oh
Heung-Bum
HB
Hwang
Chang Yun
CY
Lee
Soong-Hwan
SH
Shin
Eun-Soon
ES
Lee
Kwan Jeh
KJ
D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006681:HLA-D Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D015809:HLA-DR7 Antigen / Q000235:genetics; D006239:Haplotypes / Q000235:genetics*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012189:Retrospective Studies
C104258:GPA33 protein, human; D006680:HLA Antigens; D006681:HLA-D Antigens; D015809:HLA-DR7 Antigen; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins