Association of human leukocyte antigen-DRB1 alleles with chronic hepatitis B virus infection in the Han Chinese of Northeast China.

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II molecule is an integral component of the immune response on which the majority of host genetic studies have concentrated. Many different HLA-II alleles have been demonstrated to play roles in HBV infection. PCR-SSOP methods were applied to determine the HLA-DRB1 genotypes of 769 unrelated healthy individuals from Han Chinese of Northeast China. The frequencies of HLA-DRB109 in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected subjects were higher compared to those in the control group. Frequencies of HLA-DRB104 and 13 in the HBV-infected group were significantly lower compared to those in the healthy control group. Frequencies of HLA-DRB112 in the cirrhosis and liver cancer groups were significantly higher than those in the chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. The frequency of LA-DRB1*03 in the CHB patient group was significantly higher compared to that in the asymptomatic hepatitis B carrier patients. The above results suggest that the host HLA-II gene is an important factor in the determination of the outcome of HBV infection.