title: Association of serum soluble human leukocyte antigen-G levels with chronic hepatitis B virus infection.
abstract: Human leukocyte antigen-G is involved in immunotolerogenic, inflammatory and carcinogenic process. This study investigated serum soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) levels in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection according to the infection phases and clinical diagnoses. The study included 223 patients with chronic HBV infection [phases: 38 immune-tolerant (IT), 83 immune clearance (IC), 30 non/low-replicative (LR) and 72 HBeAg negative hepatitis (ENH); diagnoses: 38 asymptomatic HBV carriers (ASC), 98 chronic hepatitis (CH), 46 cirrhosis (LC) and 41 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)], 62 HBV infection resolvers and 66 healthy controls. The sHLA-G levels in patients were elevated compared with resolvers and healthy controls (P < 0.001). According to phases, sHLA-G levels were higher in IC and ENH than in IT (P = 0.017 and P = 0.001, respectively). Serum sHLA-G levels were also higher in ENH than in LR (P = 0.008). According to diagnoses, sHLA-G levels in HCC were significantly increased compared with LC, CH and ASC (P = 0.010, P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). Serum sHLA-G levels were higher in CH than in ASC (P = 0.039). The sHLA-G levels in IC, ENH and CH were correlated with alanine aminotransferase levels (P = 0.011, P = 0.010 and P < 0.001, respectively). It is concluded that sHLA-G is involved in the pathogenesis of chronic HBV infection and correlates with infection phases and clinical diseases, suggesting the value in evaluating disease activity and defining clinical diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Qunying
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qianqian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Zhu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Guoyu
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jinghong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Yawen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhengwen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chunqiu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D059951:HLA-G Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D044967:Serum / Q000737:chemistry*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D059951:HLA-G Antigens