Viral Hepatitis
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2004. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Aug 15, 2004; 10(16): 2330-2333
Published online Aug 15, 2004. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v10.i16.2330
Association of interleukin-12 p40 gene 3’-untranslated region polymorphism and outcome of HCV infection
Li-Min Yin, Wan-Fu Zhu, Lai Wei, Xiao-Yuan Xu, De-Gui Sun, Yan-Bin Wang, Wen-Mei Fan, Min Yu, Xiu-Lan Tian, Qi-Xin Wang, Yan Gao, Hui Zhuang
Li-Min Yin, Wan-Fu Zhu, Wen-Mei Fan, Hui Zhuang, Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, China
Xiao-Yuan Xu, Min Yu, Xiu-Lan Tian, Department of Infectious Disease, First Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100034, China
Lai Wei, Qi-Xin Wang, Yan Gao, Hepatology Institute, People’s Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100044, China
De-Gui Sun, Gu’an Station of Disease Prevention and Control, Gu’an 102700, Hebei Province, China
Yan-Bin Wang, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Beijing 100730, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the National Key Technologies Research and Development Program of China during the 10th Five-Year Period, No. 2001BA705B06
Correspondence to: Professor Wan-Fu Zhu, Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, China. zhuwanfu@sun.bjmu.edu.cn
Telephone: +86-10-82801599 Fax: +86-10-82801599
Received: January 15, 2004
Revised: February 2, 2004
Accepted: February 21, 2004
Published online: August 15, 2004
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the effect of interleukin-12 p40 gene (IL12B) 3’-untranslated region polymorphism on the outcome of HCV infection.

METHODS: A total of 133 patients who had been infected with HCV for 12-25 (18.2 ± 3.8) years, were enrolled in this study. Liver biochemical tests were performed with an automated analyzer and HCV RNA was detected by fluorogenic quantitative polymerase chain reaction. B-mode ultrasound was used for liver examination. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used for the detection of IL12B (1188A/C) polymorphism.

RESULTS: Self-limited infection was associated with AC genotype (OR = 3.48; P = 0.001) and persistent infection was associated with AA genotype (OR = 0.34; P = 0.014) at site 1188 of IL12B. In patients with persistent HCV infection, no significant differences were found regarding the age, gender, duration of infection and biochemical characteristics (P > 0.05). According to B-mode ultrasound imaging and clinical diagnosis, patients with persistent infection were divided into groups based on the severity of infection. No significant differences were found in the frequency of IL-12 genotype (1188A/C) between different groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION: The polymorphism of IL12B (1188A/C) appears to have some influence on the outcome of HCV infection.

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