Association betweenTLR7copy number variations and hepatitis B virus infection outcome in Chinese.
OBJECTIVE
To explore whether copy number variations (CNVs) of toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) are associated with susceptibility to chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.


METHODS
This study included 623 patients (495 males and 128 females) with chronic hepatitis B virus infection (CHB) and 300 patients (135 females and 165 males) with acute hepatitis B virus infection (AHB) as controls. All CHB patients were further categorized according to disease progression after HBV infection (CHB, liver cirrhosis, or hepatocellular carcinoma). Copy numbers of theTLR7gene were measured using the AccuCopy method.χ2tests were used to evaluate the association betweenTLR7CNVs and infection type.Pvalues, odds ratios, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate the effects of risk.


RESULTS
Among male patients, there were significant differences between the AHB group and CHB group in the distribution ofTLR7CNVs. Low copy number ofTLR7was significantly associated with chronic HBV infection (OR = 0.329, 95%CI: 0.229-0.473,P< 0.001). Difference inTLR7copy number was also found between AHB and CHB female patients, with low copy number again associated with an increased risk of chronic HBV infection (OR = 0.292, 95%CI: 0.173-0.492,P< 0.001). However, there were no significant differences inTLR7copy number among the three types of chronic HBV infection (CHB, liver cirrhosis, or hepatocellular carcinoma). In addition, there was no association between TLR7 copy number and titer of the HBV e antigen.


CONCLUSIONS
LowTLR7copy number is a risk factor for chronic HBV infection but is not associated with later stages of disease progression.
Fang Li, Gui-Zhou Zou, Yu-Feng Gao, Jun Ye, Department of Infectious Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230601, Anhui Province, China.
Fang
F
Li
Fang Li, Gui-Zhou Zou, Yu-Feng Gao, Jun Ye, Department of Infectious Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230601, Anhui Province, China.
Xu
X
Li
Fang Li, Gui-Zhou Zou, Yu-Feng Gao, Jun Ye, Department of Infectious Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230601, Anhui Province, China.
Gui-Zhou
GZ
Zou
Fang Li, Gui-Zhou Zou, Yu-Feng Gao, Jun Ye, Department of Infectious Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230601, Anhui Province, China.
Yu-Feng
YF
Gao
Fang Li, Gui-Zhou Zou, Yu-Feng Gao, Jun Ye, Department of Infectious Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230601, Anhui Province, China.
Jun
J
Ye
D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D056915:DNA Copy Number Variations; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D018628:Gene Dosage; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D051199:Toll-Like Receptor 7 / Q000235:genetics*
C495348:TLR7 protein, human; D051199:Toll-Like Receptor 7
Copy number variations; Gene susceptibility; Hepatitis B virus; Toll-like receptor 7