Objectives: To determine whether -238G/A and -857C/T polymorphisms of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) gene promoter were associated with outcomes of hepatitis B virus infection.
Methods: A total of 246 HBV self-limited infected subjects and 443 chronic hepatitis B (HB) patients were recruited in this case-control study. TNF-alpha-238G/A and -857C/T gene promoter polymorphisms were examined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).
Results: The frequency of TNF-alpha-238 GG (90.7%) in chronic HB group was significantly lower than that (95.1%) in self-limited group (P = 0.041). The frequency of TNF-alpha-857 CC (79.7%) in chronic HB patients was significantly higher than that (70.9%) in self-limited infected subjects (P = 0.021). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that both TNF-alpha-238GA and -857CC were independently associated with chronic HB.
Conclusions: TNF-alpha promoter variants are likely to play a substantial role in influencing the outcomes of HBV infection.