HLA-A gene polymorphism in Fujian Han population with HBV-induced liver cirrhosis

AIM: To investigate the association between HLA-A gene polymorphism and the genetic susceptibility to HBV-induced liver cirrhosis in Fujian Han population.METHODS: Genotyping of HLA-A gene was performed in 93 patients with HBV-induced cirrhosis and 84 healthy individuals by SBT(Sequencing-Based Typing).The distribution of alleles in control group was checked by Hardy-Weinberg genetic equilibrium and the association between the disease and the frequencies of alleles was analyzed by genetic statistical methods to find out the gene polymorphisms contributing to the susceptibility of liver cirrhosis.RESULTS: The frequencies of alleles in A*24(20.33% vs 9.52%,χ2=7.938,P=0.005),A*2402(19.23% vs 8.33%,χ2=7.212,P=0.009),A*01(5.49% vs 1.19%,χ2=4.878,P=0.027)and A*0101(4.95% vs 0.60%,χ2=5.955,P=0.015) in patient group were significantly higher than those in control group.However,the frequencies of A*33(3.85% vs 9.52%,χ2=4.587,P=0.032)and A*3303(4.40% vs 9.52%,χ2=4.440,P=0.032) alleles in patient group were significantly lower than those in control group.Multivariate analysis of alleles showed that significant distributional differences in HLA-A*24prime type(OR=2.397,95%CI: 1.206-4.766,P=0.0126) and A*2402 subtype(OR=2.411,95%CI: 1.147-5.068,χ2= 5.399,P=0.0203) between the disease group and the control group.Multivariate analysis of genotypes showed significant difference in HLA-A 2402(OR=3.254,95%CI: 1.320-8.021,χ2= 6.5703,P=0.0104) and A0201(OR=2.411,95%CI: 1.147-5.068,χ2= 5.399,P=0.0203) between the disease groups and the control group.A significant dose-response relationship was observed between HBV infection induced liver cirrhosis and the genotype of HLA-A 2402(OR=2.020,95%CI: 1.095-3.728,χ2=5.0624,P=0.0244).CONCLUSION: HLA-A*2402 allele and its genotype may play an important role as a genetic risk factor in the pathophysiology and development of HBV infection induced liver cirrhosis.