Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms rs2227284, rs2243283 and rs2243288 in the IL-4 Gene show no Association with Susceptibility to Chronic Hepatitis B in a Chinese Han Population

Objective To investigate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) of the interleukin-4(IL-4) gene and outcome of hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection in a Chinese Han population.Methods Total of 501 patients with chronic hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection and 301 controls with selflimiting HBV infection were studied. Three tag SNPs in the IL-4 gene(rs2227284G/T, rs2243283C/G and rs2243288A/G) were genotyped by the Multiplex snapshot technique. The genotype and allele frequencies were calculated and analyzed.Results The three SNPs showed no significant genotype/allele associations with chronic HBV infection. Overall allele P values were: rs2227284, P = 0.655, odds ratio(OR) [95% confidence interval(CI)] = 1.070(0.793-1.445); rs2243283, P = 0.849, OR(95% CI) = 0.976(0.758-1.257); rs2243288, P = 0.659, OR(95% CI) = 1.060(0.818-1.375). Overall genotype P values were: rs2227284, P = 0.771; rs2243283, P = 0.571; rs2243288, P = 0.902. There were no statistically significant differences between patients with chronic HBV infection and controls. Haplotypes generated by these three SNPs also had no significant differences between the two groups. Conclusions The three tag SNPs of IL-4 were not associated with the outcome of HBV infection in the Han Chinese population.