Lack of Association Between Transforming Growth Factor Beta 1 -509C/T and +915G/C Polymorphisms and Chronic Hepatitis B in Iranian Patients.

BACKGROUND

Chronic hepatitis B is one of the world's major health concerns [corrected]. The etiological agent of this infection is hepatitis B virus (HBV), which can evade the immune system response. Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) can act against HBV by suppressing the viral replication. The TGF-β1 also plays an important role in preventing liver damage in chronically HBV infected patients.

OBJECTIVES

In this study, the association of TGF-β1 +915G/C and -509C/T gene polymorphisms with chronic hepatitis B was evaluated in Iranian patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A population-based case-control study was conducted in Taleghani Hospital, Tehran. A number of 220 patients with chronic hepatitis B and the same number of healthy control subjects were designated the case and the control groups. The PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Method (PCR-RFLP) method was used for genotyping both polymorphisms. Ten percent of the control samples were sequenced to confirm the results.

RESULTS

No statically significant differences in genotype distribution and allele frequency were observed for both polymorphisms between healthy controls and patients with chronic hepatitis B.

CONCLUSIONS

There was no association between TGF-β1 -509C/T and +915G/C polymorphisms with chronic hepatitis B and it seems that these changes do not play a significant role in increasing the risk of chronic infection in Iranian patients [corrected].