Study on the polymorphisme of human leucocyte antigen--DRB1,-DQA1 and -DQB1 alleles in patients with hepatitis B

Objective To investigate the association between the polymorphism of human leucocyte antigen(HLA)-DRB1,-DQA1 and -DQB1 alleles and viral hepatitis B. Methods HLA-DRB1,-DQA1 and -DQB1 alleles in 52 patients with chronic hepatitis B, 30 patients with acute hepatitis B and 106 normal control subjects were analysed, using the polymerase chain reaction/sequence specific primer (PCR/ SSP) technique. Results The allele frequencies of HLA-DRB1 * 0301, -DQA1 * 0501 and -DQB1 * 0301 in the chronic hepatitis B group (17.31%, 25.96%, 35.58%) were markedly higher than that in the normal control group (5.67%, 13.36%, 18.87%), with statistical significance (X_1~2=12.3068, P_(c1)= 0.0074; X_2~2=9.2002, P_(c2)=0.0157; X_3~2x=15.5938, P_(c3)=0.0075). The allele frequencies of HLA-DRB1 * 1101/1104 and -DQA1 * 0301 in the chronic hepatitis B group (0.96%,14.42%) were markedly lower than that in the acute hepatitis B group (13.33%,30%), with significant correlation between them (X_1~2= 11. 9206,P_(c1)=0.0145;X_2~2=8.7396, P_(c2)=0.0167). Conclusion HLA-DRB1 * 0301,-DQA1 * 0501 and -DQB1 * 0301 were closely associated with the susceptibility to chronic hepatitis B, while HLA-DRB1 * 1101/1104 and -DQA1 * 0301 closely associated with the resistance to chronic hepatitis B. These findings suggested that host HLA class Ⅱ gene was an important factor determining the outcome of HBV infection.