Association of Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha -238G/A and -308G/A Promotor Polymorphisms with Clearance of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Turkish Population
Objectives: Acute viral hepatitis B may lead to chronic hepatitis in 6% of adultpopulation. We compared the frequency of Tumor necrosis factor alpha promotor polymorphisms in chronic hepatitis B patients and people with natural immunity against hepatitis B.Materials and Methods: Chronic hepatitis B patients and age matched control cases with natural immunity to hepatitis B virus were recruited 1:1 in this study. Tumornecrosis factor alpha -238G/A and -308G/A polymorphisms were studied withPCR-RFLP. ?2 test was performed in statistical analysis.Results: A total of 101 volunteers enrolled in two study groups. Thirty-eight menand 12 women constituted the chronic hepatitis B patient group and 40 men and11 women recruited in natural immunity group. Frequency of -238G allele was87.5% and 97% in chronic hepatitis B and natural immunity groups, respectively.Frequency of -308G allel was 93% and 92.1% in chronic hepatitis B and natural im-munity groups, respectively. Frequencies of polymorphisms at positions -238 and-308 in the promotor of tumor necrosis factor alpha gene were not different be-tween chronic hepatitis B and natural immunity groups.Discussion: Tumor necrosis factor alpha promoter polymorphisms at -238 and-308 positions do not effect the outcome hepatitis B infection in Turkish population. Clearance of hepatitis B virus infection is multifactorial. Thus, further studiesneeded to identify genetic predisposition to chronic hepatitis B infection
