It is important to further examine the relationship between intrauterine HBV contamination and HLA gene polymorphism

It is important to further examine the relationship between intrauterine HBV contamination and HLA gene polymorphism. To study the association between the polymorphisms of HLA class II genes and intrauterine HBV contamination, we selected the newborn infants delivered by HBsAg-positive mothers in this study and compared the frequencies of HLA phenotypes between the intrauterine HBV contamination infant group and the non-intrauterine HBV contamination infant group. We found that, among the fifteen (15) HLA-DR alleles assessed, Salbutamol sulfate (Albuterol) HLA-DRB1*07 was the one, and the only one, significantly in excess (OR = 6.66,P= 0.004) in the intrauterine contamination group compared to the non-intrauterine contamination group. Our findings thus suggest that high frequency of HLA class II molecules, e.g. HLA-DRB1*07, is usually associated with the susceptibility of the infants to intrauterine HBV contamination. Keywords:Hepatitis B computer virus (HBV), Human leukocyte antigen (HLA), Genetic susceptibility, Intrauterine contamination, Nested case-control study Rabbit Polyclonal to IRF3 == 1. Introduction == Hepatitis B is usually a common disease worldwide. Approximately, one million human deaths in the world each year are attributable to the end stage sequelae of persistent hepatitis B computer virus (HBV) contamination. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that about 350 million people worldwide are chronically infected with HBV1. These individuals are prone to the development of chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. In South East Asia, the mode of HBV contamination is mainly vertical transmission in the perinatal period. In China, one of the major reasons for the high prevalence of HBV contamination is that mothers transmit the HBV to their children during the intrauterine as well as perinatal periods. Approximately 50% HBV carriers got infectedviamother-to-infant transmission1,2,3. With the immunolization of hepatitis B vaccine and the use of hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive pregnant women, the incidence of HBV carrier status among the children has reduced dramatically. However, intrauterine HBV contamination still occurs at high incidence. The exact mechanisms underlying intrauterine contamination of HBV have not been completely elucidated. Previous studies showed that major histocompatibility complex (MHC) gene products were vital for the regulation of several antiviral immune reactions4,5. In addition, genetic factors controlling the host immune response could play an important role in determining the infection outcome6,7. These immune responses may be genetically decided, since studies on twins and families have suggested the contribution of an inherited component in the development of chronic hepatitis B contamination8. T cell responses are restricted by human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I and class II molecules, which present antigens to CD8+ cytolytic T cells and CD4+ helper T cells, respectively. The genes encoding HLA class I and class II molecules are the most polymorphic genes in the human genome and are therefore ideal candidates for the investigation of HBV contamination susceptibility. The association Salbutamol sulfate (Albuterol) between HLA polymorphism and disease susceptibility as well as disease resistance has been documented9,10,11. Recently, several nongenetic diseases were found to be related to gene polymorphism, and the relationship between the TNF- -238 A and IFN- +874 A alleles and intrauterine HBV contamination was reported12,13. It is important to further examine the relationship between intrauterine HBV contamination and HLA gene polymorphism. To study the association between the polymorphisms of HLA class II genes and intrauterine HBV contamination, we selected the newborn infants delivered by HBsAg-positive mothers in this study and compared the frequencies of HLA phenotypes between the intrauterine HBV contamination infant group and the non-intrauterine HBV Salbutamol sulfate (Albuterol) contamination infant group. To this end, an 1:2 matched nested case-control design was used. == Materials and Methods == == Patients == This study included the patients who frequented the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Maternity and Child Care Centre of ShanXi Province from February 1999 to October 2004. A written consent was obtained from each of the participants. A nested case-control design was used. The patients selected were newborn infants whose blood were tested positive for HBsAg within 24 hr of birth (intrauterine HBV contamination group, N = 24). The controls were.