| Abstract: | AIM: To investigate the influence of HLA-DRB1 alleles and HBV genotypes on interferon-α therapy for chronic hepatitis B.METHODS: HLA-DRB1*03, *07, *09, *12, *15 alleles were determined using polymerase chain reaction/sequence specific primer (PCR/SSP) technique in 126 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 76 normal control subjects in Shandong Province, and HBV genotypes were determined by nested-PCR analysis using type-specific primers in 126 patients.RESULTS: The positivity of HLA-DRB1*07 allele in chronic hepatitis B group was significantly higher than that in normal control group (x2 = 6.33, P<0.025, RR = 2.37). Among the 126 patients, genotype B was found in 38 (30.2%), genotype C in 69 (54.8%), and mixed genotype (B+C) in 19 (15.0%),genotypes D-F were not found. Among the 46 DRB1*07(+)patients, 7 were responders and 39 were non-responders among them (x2 = 6.71, P<0.05). The positivity of HLADRB1*07 and prevalence of HBV genotype C were significantly higher in non-responders than in responders.CONCLUSION: High positivities of HLA-DRB1 *07 allele and HBV genotype C are closely associated with the lower response to interferon-α therapy for chronic hepatitis B. |
