title: Vitamin D and Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha Receptor Gene Polymorphisms in Various Hepatitis B Clinical Conditions in Turkey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim is to define the role of single nucleotide polymorphism on the progress of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. We evaluated polymorphisms of TNF-α-308, Vitamin D receptor Apa I and Taq I gene in patients with HBV infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  All subjects included were older than 18 years old. Sixty three patients had chronic HBV infection, 61 were HBsAg positive carriers and 59 were positive for anti-HBs and anti-HBc. Gene polymorphisms were evaluated by Amplification Refractory Mutation System PCR. For patients with chronic hepatitis, viral load, ALT levels, and histopathological evaluation of the liver were also compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gender distribution was not different among groups; however, anti-HBs positive patients were significantly older than the other patients. ALT levels and viral load were significantly higher in chronic hepatitis group than the asymptomatic carriers group. Vitamin D receptor Apa I gene and Taq I gene and TNF-α -308 gene variant alleles were not different in all three groups. Variant alleles of three genes were not different in subgroups of chronic hepatitis patients formed according to ALT levels, viral load, histological activity index, and fibrosis score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Role of single nucleotide polymorphism in clinical status of various HBV infection states was not shown in this study. Considering the other studies performed with this aim, which strengthens the notion that ethnicity is an important factor, future studies with more patients from different ethnic groups may help to clear the role of polymorphisms in the clinical progress of HBV infection.
authors: Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Department, Ufuk University Medical School, Turkey.
authors: Semra
authors: S
authors: Tuncbilek
authors: Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Department, Karadeniz Technical University Medical School, Turkey.
authors: Kemalettin
authors: K
authors: Aydin
authors: Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Department, Gazi University Medical School, Turkey.
authors: Kenan
authors: K
authors: Hizel
keywords: Ethnicity; Hepatitis B; Single nucleotide polymorphism; TNF-α; Vitamin D