Association of interleukin 27 expression and p28 gene polymorphism with chronic hepatitis B virus infection

Shiqun Wang, Chengliang Zhu, Rui Zhang, Li Liu and Jianguo Wu*

State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, P.R. China.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: jwu@whu.edu.cn or wu9988@vip.sina.com. 

Tel.: +86-27-68754979. Fax: +86-27-68754592

Accepted 8 June, 2009

   Abstract

Interleukin 27 (IL-27) is a newly discovered cytokine encoded by 2 genes, EBI3 and p28. We investigated IL-27 serum levels and p28 gene -964 A>G polymorphism in patients with chronic HBV infection and in healthy individuals, with the aims to define the correlation between IL-27 expression and chronic hepatitis B development. 168 patients, 99 recovered individuals and 152 healthy individuals were enrolled in this study. IL-27 level was measured by dual antibody sandwich-ELISA, and p28 polymorphism was determined by PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism. IL-27 serum levels were significantly higher in patients than in healthy controls (P < 0.001). Among -964 A/G polymorphisms, A/A genotype was more closely associated with patients than healthy individuals (P = 0.013). There were no differences between recovered individuals and healthy individuals in both IL-27 levels and p28 polymorphism. IL-27 levels and p28 polymorphism are associated with the development of chronic hepatitis B.

Key words: Interleukin 27, chronic hepatitis B, IL-27 p28 -964 A>G polymorphism, cytokine, single nucleotide polymorphism.