title: RANTES gene polymorphisms  (-403G>A and -28C>G) associated with hepatitis B virus infection in a  Saudi population.
abstract: Besides  the host immune response, genetic and environmental factors play crucial roles  in the manifestation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. "Regulated on  activation normal T-cell expressed and secreted" factor (RANTES) plays a vital  role in CD4(+), CD8(+) T-lymphocyte  and dendritic cell activation and proliferation in inflammation. Single  nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the RANTES gene are associated with several  viral and non-viral diseases. Association studies have invariably indicated a  lack of association between RANTES gene SNPs and HBV infection in ethnic  populations, even though RANTES gene SNPs exhibit distinct ethnic  distributions. Despite the high prevalence of HBV infections in Saudi Arabia,  no studies have been made concerning a possible relationship between RANTES  gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to and progression of HBV infection. We  examined -403G>A and -28C>G RANTES gene variants in 473 healthy controls  and 484 HBV patients in ethnic Saudi populations. Significant differences were  found in the genotype and allele distributions of the SNPs between the controls  and the HBV patients. Both SNPs were significantly linked to viral clearance in  these subjects. Our data demonstrate for the first time in a Saudi population,  a relationship between the RANTES gene polymorphisms and the clinical course of  HBV infection and underscore the importance of evaluating the genetic  background of the affected individual to determine how it may affect disease  progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological and Medical Research, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Qahtani
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alarifi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Okail
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abdo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sanai
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Anazi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khalaf
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Al-Humaidan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Ahdal
authors.forename: F N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Almajhdi
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000235:genetics*; D017931:DNA Primers; D005260:Female; D005828:Genetics, Population; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012529:Saudi Arabia
chemical_list: C483024:CCL5 protein, human; D018946:Chemokine CCL5; D017931:DNA Primers