Association between HLA-DRB1 alleles and susceptibility to chronic hepatitis B in patients of Basrah province, Iraq

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the major diseases of mankind and is a serious global public health problem. The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is a dense complex of genes with immunological and non-immunological functions and is present in all vertebrates. In humans, it is known as human leukocyte antigen (HLA). The genes encoding these molecules are the most polymorphic in the human genome and are ideal candidates for the investigation of association with HBV outcomes. This study was aimed to identify the influence of HLA-DRB1 alleles and susceptibility to chronic hepatitis B in patients of Basrah province. The blood samples were collected from Iraqi patients and HLA typing was carried out by using molecular methods (line probe assay). The present study indicate that alleles DRB1*3 (P=0.001), sub-allele DRB1*030101 (P=0.007) and DRB1*11 (P=0.014) were more frequent in patients and had higher significant than in the control group, and these alleles had highly elevated odds ratio (OR , and , respectively with positive association. Therefore, these antigens will be considered as liable to the HBV infection. Whereas alleles DRB1*01 (P=0.006), DRB1*7 (P=0.015), suballele DRB1*070101 (P=0.015), DRB1*01 (P=0.006) and DRB1*13 (P=0.013) were more frequent in control group and had higher significance than in the patients, hence, these antigens will be considered as protective to this disease. Our results indicate that alleles of DRB1*3 and DRB1*11 are associated with HBV as chronic disease. These findings support the theory that HLA class II–restricted helper T cell plays an important role in HBV as chronic disease.