Genetic polymorphism of interleukin-16 influences susceptibility to HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma in a Chinese population.
OBJECTIVE
Interleukin-16 (IL16) as a multifunctional cytokine, plays a key role in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases as well as tumour growth and progression. Recently, genetic polymorphisms of IL16 have been reported to be associated with susceptibility to a range of cancers. This study was undertaken to investigate the IL16 gene polymorphisms and determine whether these genetic factors are related to the occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a Chinese population.


METHODS
We analyzed three polymorphisms of the IL16 gene (rs11556218T/G, rs4072111C/T and rs4778889T/C) in 206 patients with HBV-related HCC, 270 chronic hepatitis B patients and 264 healthy controls, using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method and DNA sequencing technology.


RESULTS
IL16 polymorphisms were not associated with risk of HCC when compared with healthy controls. However, IL16 polymorphisms were significantly associated with susceptibility to HBV-related HCC when using chronic hepatitis B patients as controls. The rs11556218T/G TG and GG genotypes were associated with significantly increased risk of HBV-related HCC compared with the TT genotype (OR = 1.96 and OR = 3.33). The data also revealed that subjects with the G allele appeared to have higher susceptibility to HBV-related HCC than those with the T allele (OR = 2.10). Under the dominant model genotype TG+GG appeared to be associated with an increased risk of HBV-related HCC (OR = 2.18). The rs4072111C/T TT genotype was associated with a significantly increased risk of HBV-related HCC compared with the CC genotype (OR = 6.67). Polymorphisms of the IL16 gene were significantly associated with susceptibility to chronic hepatitis B when using healthy subjects as controls. The rs11556218T/G TG and GG genotypes were associated with significantly decreased risk of chronic hepatitis B compared with the TT genotype (OR = 0.49 and OR = 0.29). The data also revealed that subjects with the G allele appeared to have lower susceptibility to chronic hepatitis B than those with the T allele (OR = 0.46). Under the dominant model genotype TG + GG appeared to have lower susceptibility to chronic hepatitis B (OR = 0.44).


CONCLUSIONS
This study showed that the genotypes and allele of IL16 SNPs were associated with chronic HBV infection and HCC. However, further investigation with a larger sample size and haplotype analysis with other SNPs may be required to validate the genetic effects of the IL16 polymorphisms on chronic HBV infection and HCC.
Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China.
Shan
S
Li
Yan
Y
Deng
Zhi-Ping
ZP
Chen
Shan
S
Huang
Xiang-Cheng
XC
Liao
Li-Wen
LW
Lin
Huang
H
Li
Tao
T
Peng
Xue
X
Qin
Jin-Min
JM
Zhao
D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D019410:Interleukin-16 / Q000235:genetics*; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
D019410:Interleukin-16