title: Anti-SSB/La antibody is negatively associated with HLA-DR2 in chronic hepatitis C infection.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is frequently associated with anti-SSA/Ro and anti-SSB/La autoantibodies. The objective of this study is to examine the prevalence of anti-SSA/Ro and anti-SSB/La autoantibodies in HCV-infected patients and their possible associations with HLA-DRB1 polymorphism in Chinese patients in Taiwan. About 288 HCV-infected patients were recruited for autoantibody detection and HLA-DRB1 typing. Anti-SSA/Ro and anti-SSB/La autoantibodies were detected in 12.8 and 9.7% of HCV-infected patients. Anti-SSA/Ro antibody was positively associated with age over 55 [p = 0.04; odds ratio = 2.17; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03-4.57]. Anti-SSB/La antibody was negatively associated with HLA-DR2 carriage (p = 0.024; odds ratio = 0.30; 95% CI, 0.10-0.90). No significant correlation was found between autoantibody production and gender, autoimmune manifestation, presence of cirrhosis, or hepatocellular carcinoma in HCV infection. In conclusion, anti-SSA/Ro and anti-SSB/La antibodies present frequently in HCV-infected patients. Anti-SSB/La antibody is negatively associated with HLA-DR2 in HCV-infected patients in Taiwan.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chien-Sheng
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chung-Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Ping-Ning
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Hsu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D015802:HLA-DR2 Antigen / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D015802:HLA-DR2 Antigen; C035356:SS-A antibodies; C035357:SS-B antibodies