BACKGROUND: TNF-alpha promoter polymorphism is known to play an important role in the immunopathogenesis of infection of hepatitis B virus. AIMS: We investigated whether polymorphisms of TNF-alpha promoter at position -308 or -238 had associations with the response to lamivudine treatment. METHODS: A total of 89 healthy subjects (control group) and 225 patients with chronic hepatitis B treated with lamivudine were included in this study. Polymorphisms of TNF-alpha promoter at position -308 and -238 were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction. Recruited patients were classified according to the outcome of lamivudine treatment into the responder (103 patients) or non-responder (122 patients) group. RESULTS: The numbers of A allelic polymorphism of TNF-alpha promoter at position -238 were four (2.2%) in the control, five (2.4%) in the responder and 19 (7.8%) in the non-responder group. The A allele was noted significantly more frequently in the responder than non-responder group (P = 0.012). At position -308, a significant difference was observed between the control group (14; 7.9%) and total chronic hepatitis B patients (15; 3.3%) (P = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that the non-response to lamivudine treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B might be related to the A allelic polymorphism of TNF-alpha promoter at position -238.
BACKGROUND:TNF-alpha promoter polymorphism is known to play an important role in the immunopathogenesis of infection of hepatitis B virus. AIMS: We investigated whether polymorphisms of TNF-alpha promoter at position -308 or -238 had associations with the response to lamivudine treatment. METHODS: A total of 89 healthy subjects (control group) and 225 patients with chronic hepatitis B treated with lamivudine were included in this study. Polymorphisms of TNF-alpha promoter at position -308 and -238 were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction. Recruited patients were classified according to the outcome of lamivudine treatment into the responder (103 patients) or non-responder (122 patients) group. RESULTS: The numbers of A allelic polymorphism of TNF-alpha promoter at position -238 were four (2.2%) in the control, five (2.4%) in the responder and 19 (7.8%) in the non-responder group. The A allele was noted significantly more frequently in the responder than non-responder group (P = 0.012). At position -308, a significant difference was observed between the control group (14; 7.9%) and total chronic hepatitis Bpatients (15; 3.3%) (P = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that the non-response to lamivudine treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B might be related to the A allelic polymorphism of TNF-alpha promoter at position -238.
Authors: Jung Min Lee; Sang Hoon Ahn; Hye Young Chang; Ji Eun Shin; Do Young Kim; Myoung Ki Sim; Sun Pyo Hong; Hyun Jae Chung; Soo Ok Kim; Kwang Hyub Han; Chae Yoon Chon; Young Myoung Moon Journal: Korean J Hepatol Date: 2004-12