HLA Class II Alleles in Romanian Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C

Introduction: The objective of the study was to determine the association of host human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II genotype DRB1 alleles with the response to interferon therapy, viral loads and extent of liver fibrosis in a group of Romanian patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C, with different clinical outcomes. Class II HLA genes, particularly the HLA-DRB1 and DQB1 genes, have been shown to have an important role in self-limiting or persistent viral infection, in different genetic populations. In chronic hepatitis C both susceptible and protective alleles have been described, influencing the development of autoimmunity and progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods: The study included 54 patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C, registered and monitored from January 2014 to January 2015 at the Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, Constanţa, Romania. The selected patients were positive for anti-HCV antibodies and HCV-RNA, with screening laboratory results indicating HCV genotype 1b. The method used for the assignment of alleles at HLA-DRB1 and DQB1 loci was molecular genotyping, by the sequence specific oligonucleotide (SSO) hybridization method, and when required, by the sequence specific primers method (SSP). The presence of different alleles in patients has been analyzed for statistical significance. Results: The presence of HLA-DRB1*0301 had a high frequency (14.8%) in null-responders (NR) while alleles DRB1*0701 (11.1%), DRB1*11# (22.2%) and DRB1*0101 (16.7%) were prevalent in sustained virologic responders (SVR). No significant correlation was found between the presence of HLA-DRB1* alleles and viral loads or liver fibrosis with p values not statistically significant after the Bonferroni correction. Conclusion: The presented data suggest that in this group of Romanian patients, certain HLA alleles influence the therapeutic response in HCV infection and genetic predisposition may play a role in hepatitis C virus infection in those patients.