title: Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase 677 T allele protects against persistent HBV infection in West Africa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Homocysteine metabolism is linked to DNA methylation, a mechanism potentially involved in the course of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. We evaluated the association of determinants of homocysteine metabolism with the outcome of HBV infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four hundred and fifty-five healthy adults from Togo and Benin were tested for HBV serologic markers, HLA DR alleles, folate, vitamin B12, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677 C-->T, 1298 A-->C and methionine synthase 2756 A-->G polymorphisms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-eight percent of the study population was anti-HBc positive. Among them, 202 (56.9%) were anti-HBs positive and 58 (16.3%) were HBsAg positive. After stepwise logistic regression, the MTHFR 677 T allele was independently associated with persistence of detectable anti-HBs antibodies (OR: 2.47; 95% CI: 1.29-4.71; p=0.006). The mean HBV DNA level was significantly lower in HBsAg positive subjects carrying the 677 T allele than in those with the 677 CC genotype (1000+/-1406 vs. 2,400,000+/-214,000 copies/ml, p=0.005). Beninese origin and HLA-DRB1*09 allele were the other determinants independently associated with favorable outcome of HBV infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase 677 T allele seems to protect against chronic HBV infection in young African adults.
authors.affiliation: Inserm U724, Cellular and Molecular Pathology in Nutrition, Faculté de Médecine, University Henri Poincaré of Nancy, Vandoeuvre lès Nancy, France. jp.bronowicki@chu-nancy.fr
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bronowicki
authors.forename: Idrissia
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Abdelmouttaleb
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Peyrin-Biroulet
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Venard
authors.forename: Hacène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khiri
authors.forename: Nicodème
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chabi
authors.forename: Emile K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Amouzou
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Barraud
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Halfon
authors.forename: Ambaliou
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sanni
authors.forename: Marc-André
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bigard
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Le Faou
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Guéant
mesh_terms: D013766:5-Methyltetrahydrofolate-Homocysteine S-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D001541:Benin / Q000453:epidemiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics*; D015342:DNA Probes; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000201:enzymology / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D008297:Male; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015342:DNA Probes; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006710:Homocysteine; D004247:DNA; D005492:Folic Acid; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2); D013766:5-Methyltetrahydrofolate-Homocysteine S-Methyltransferase; D014805:Vitamin B 12