Human leukocyte antigen class I and class II genes polymorphisms might be associated with interferon α therapy efficiency of chronic hepatitis B

Abstract: Certain host genetic polymorphisms in human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes are reported to be associated with response to interferon α (IFNα) therapy. Two hundred and eighteen IFNα treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients were enrolled in the present study. HLA-A, B, C and DQA1, DQB1, DRB1 gene alleles were detected by polymerase chain reaction-sequencing based typing (PCR-SBT) and PCR-sequence specific primer (PCR-SSP), respectively. Frequencies of HLA-DQB1*0303 and DRB1*08 in response group were clearly lower than those in nonresponse group (P =0.019, OR=1.81, 95%CI=1.07–3.15; P =0.031, OR=2.43, 95%CI=1.02–5.98, respectively). Frequencies of haplotype *1101-*4601-*0102 (HLA-A, B, C) and haplotype *0302-*0303-*09 (HLA-DQA1, DQB1, DRB1) were clearly lower than those in nonresponse group (P =0.009, OR=4.84, 95%CI=1.29–19.48; P =0.031, OR=1.94, 95%CI=1.01–3.73, respectively). These results suggest that patients with HLA-DQB1*0303 or DRB1*08 alleles, and haplotype *1101-*4601-*0102 (HLA-A, B, C) or haplotype *0302-*0303-*09 (HLA-DQA1, DQB1, DRB1), might be less responsive to IFNα treatment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]