A population-based study to investigate host genetic factors associated with hepatitis B infection a

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Study protocol

A population-based study to investigate host genetic factors associated with

hepatitis B infection and pathogenesis in the Chinese population

Zheng Zeng , Li Guan , Ping An , Shan Sun , J O'Brien and Cheryl A

Winkler

BMC Infectious Diseases 2008, 8:1doi:10.1186/1471-2334-8-1

Published: 2 January 2008

Abstract (provisional)

Background

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a significant public health problem that

may lead to chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma

(HCC). Approximately 30% of the world's population has been infected with HBV

and approximately 350 million (5-6%) are persistent carriers. More than 120

million Chinese are infected with HBV. The role of host genetic factors and

their interactions with environmental factors leading to chronic HBV infection

and its complications are not well understood. We believe that a better

understanding of these factors and interactions will lead to more effective

diagnostic and therapeutic options.

Methods

This is a population-based, case-control study protocol to enroll 2200 Han

Chinese from medical centers in northern and western China. Adult subjects in

the following groups are being enrolled: healthy donors (n=200), HBV infected

persons achieving virus clearance (n=400), asymptomatic HBV persistent carriers

(n=400), chronic hepatitis B cases (n=400), decompensated liver cirrhosis with

HBV infection cases (n=400), and hepatocellular carcinoma with HBV infection

cases (n=400). In addition, for haplotype inference and quality control of

sample handling and genotyping results, children of 1000 cases will be asked to

provide a buccal sample for DNA extraction. With the exception of adult patients

presenting with liver cirrhosis or HCC, all other cases and controls will be 40

years or older at enrollment. A questionnaire is being administered to capture

dietary and environmental risk factors. Both candidate-gene and genome-wide

association approaches will be used to assess the role of single genetic factors

and higher order interactions with other genetic or environmental factors in HBV

diseases.

Conclusion

This study is designed and powered to detect single gene effects as well as

gene-gene and environmental-gene interactions. The identification of allelic

polymorphisms in genes involved in the pathway leading to chronic viral

infection, liver cirrhosis and, ultimately, hepatocellular carcinoma would

provide insights to those factors leading to HBV replication, liver

inflammation, fibrosis, and the carcinogenic process. An understanding of the

contribution of host genetic factors and their interactions may inform public

health policy, improve diagnostics and clinical management, and provide targets

for drug development.

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2334/8/1/abstract

_________________________________________________________________

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[Guest guest]

Study protocol

A population-based study to investigate host genetic factors associated with

hepatitis B infection and pathogenesis in the Chinese population

Zheng Zeng , Li Guan , Ping An , Shan Sun , J O'Brien and Cheryl A

Winkler

BMC Infectious Diseases 2008, 8:1doi:10.1186/1471-2334-8-1

Published: 2 January 2008

Abstract (provisional)

Background

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a significant public health problem that

may lead to chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma

(HCC). Approximately 30% of the world's population has been infected with HBV

and approximately 350 million (5-6%) are persistent carriers. More than 120

million Chinese are infected with HBV. The role of host genetic factors and

their interactions with environmental factors leading to chronic HBV infection

and its complications are not well understood. We believe that a better

understanding of these factors and interactions will lead to more effective

diagnostic and therapeutic options.

Methods

This is a population-based, case-control study protocol to enroll 2200 Han

Chinese from medical centers in northern and western China. Adult subjects in

the following groups are being enrolled: healthy donors (n=200), HBV infected

persons achieving virus clearance (n=400), asymptomatic HBV persistent carriers

(n=400), chronic hepatitis B cases (n=400), decompensated liver cirrhosis with

HBV infection cases (n=400), and hepatocellular carcinoma with HBV infection

cases (n=400). In addition, for haplotype inference and quality control of

sample handling and genotyping results, children of 1000 cases will be asked to

provide a buccal sample for DNA extraction. With the exception of adult patients

presenting with liver cirrhosis or HCC, all other cases and controls will be 40

years or older at enrollment. A questionnaire is being administered to capture

dietary and environmental risk factors. Both candidate-gene and genome-wide

association approaches will be used to assess the role of single genetic factors

and higher order interactions with other genetic or environmental factors in HBV

diseases.

Conclusion

This study is designed and powered to detect single gene effects as well as

gene-gene and environmental-gene interactions. The identification of allelic

polymorphisms in genes involved in the pathway leading to chronic viral

infection, liver cirrhosis and, ultimately, hepatocellular carcinoma would

provide insights to those factors leading to HBV replication, liver

inflammation, fibrosis, and the carcinogenic process. An understanding of the

contribution of host genetic factors and their interactions may inform public

health policy, improve diagnostics and clinical management, and provide targets

for drug development.

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2334/8/1/abstract

_________________________________________________________________

Make distant family not so distant with Windows Vista® + Windows Live™.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/digitallife/keepintouch.mspx?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_CPC\

_VideoChat_distantfamily_012008