Human Leukocyte Antigen Alleles and Haplotypes Associated With Chronicity of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Koreans

Abstract

Chronic hepatitis B infection is the leading cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Human leukocyte antigen may be involved in the chronicity of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. To analyze the association between HBV chronicity and human leukocyte antigen alleles and haplotypes of 636 organ donors and recipients. Subjects were categorized into 2 groups according to their clinical and serologic profiles, specifically, an HBV natural convalescent group and an HBV chronic carrier (CC) group. Hepatitis B chronicity was positively associated with A33 (P = .004, odds ratio [OR] = 1.59) and DR7 (P < .001, OR = 2.58), and negatively associated with HLA-DR13 (P < .001, OR = 0.40). Coexpression of A33 and DR7 was significantly higher in the CC group (OR = 3.63), compared with that of either allele alone (OR = 1.76 in A33; OR = 2.53 in DR7). The statistically significant haplotypes were B44-DR7 (P < .001, OR = 5.44), A33-DR7 (P < .001, OR = 4.47), and A33-B44-DR7 (P < .001, OR = 7.31) in the CC group. Our results indicate that alleles of A33, DR7, and haplotypes containing DR7 are associated with HBV chronicity among Koreans. Moreover, the 2 antigens had an additive effect on chronicity. These findings support the theory that human leukocyte antigen class I-restricted cytotoxic T cells and human leukocyte antigen class II-restricted helper T cells play an important role in HBV chronicity.