A Common HLA–DPA1 Variant is a Major Determinant of Hepatitis B Virus Clearance in Han Chinese

March 14, 2011

THE JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISERASES

A Common HLA–DPA1 Variant is a Major Determinant of Hepatitis B Virus Clearance

in Han Chinese

Ping An1,a,

Cheryl Winkler1,a,

Li Guan2,

J. O'Brien3 and

Zheng Zeng4

the HBV Study Consortiumb

+ Author Affiliations

1Basic Research Laboratory

2Laboratory of Genomic Diversity, SAIC-Frederick

3Laboratory of Genomic Diversity, National Cancer Institute-Frederick, land

4Department of Infectious Diseases, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing,

People’s Republic of China

Reprints or correspondence: Ping An, MD, MPH, NCI-Frederick Bldg. 560, Rm 21-19,

Frederick, MD 21702 (Ping.An@...) or Zheng Zeng, MD, PhD, Department of

Infectious Diseases, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China

(zeng@...).

Abstract

A recent genome-wide study showed that the single nucleotide polymorphisms

(SNPs) in the HLA-DP region were associated with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV)

infection in Japanese and Thai persons. We tested the effects of HLA-DP SNPs for

all major HBV outcomes in Han Chinese (n = 1742): HBV resistance, clearance,

chronic infection, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. HLA - DPA1 rs3077 T

was strongly associated with decreased risk of chronic HBV infection (odds

ratio, .62; P = .001), consistent with the previous report. We showed for the

first time to our knowledge that it is a predictor for HBV clearance (odds

ratio, 2.41; P < .001). However, rs3077 was not associated with the development

of cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma.

Received July 28, 2010.

Accepted November 12, 2010.

March 14, 2011