Objective: To investigate the association between the polymorphism of human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-DRB1, -DQA1 and -DQB1 alleles and viral hepatitis B.
Methods: HLA-DRB1, -DQA1 and -DQB1 alleles in 52 patients with chronic hepatitis B, 30 patients with acute hepatitis B and 106 normal control subjects were analysed, using the polymerase chain reaction/sequence specific primer (PCR/SSP) technique.
Results: The allele frequencies of HLA-DRB1 * 0301, -DQA1 * 0501 and -DQB1 * 0301 in the chronic hepatitis B group (17.31%, 25.96%, 35.58%) were markedly higher than that in the normal control group (5.67%, 13.36%, 18.87%), with statistical significance (chi(2)(1) = 12.3068, P(c1) = 0.0074; chi(2)(2) = 9.2002, P(c2) = 0.0157; chi(2)(3) = 15.5938, P(c3) = 0.0075). The allele frequencies of HLA-DRB1 * 1101/1104 and -DQA1 * 0301 in the chronic hepatitis B group (0.96%, 14.42%) were markedly lower than that in the acute hepatitis B group (13.33%, 30%), with significant correlation between them (chi(2)(1) = 11.9206, P(c1) = 0.0145; chi(2)(2) = 8.7396, P(c2) = 0.0167).
Conclusion: HLA-DRB1 * 0301, -DQA1 * 0501 and -DQB1 * 0301 were closely associated with the susceptibility to chronic hepatitis B, while HLA-DRB1 * 1101/1104 and -DQA1 * 0301 closely associated with the resistance to chronic hepatitis B. These findings suggested that host HLA class II gene was an important factor determining the outcome of HBV infection.