Association of TNF-α Promoter Polymorphism with HBV Associated Disease Outcome Among HBV Infected Patients from Orissa, Southern Part of East India.

backgroundTNF-α promoter polymorphism has been known to be a potential predictive factor in patients with HBV infection. We therefore tried to investigate whether the TNF-α promoter polymorphism at position -238, -857 and -863 was associated with the outcome of HBV infection in a population from Orissa, southern part of East India.

methodsA total of 195 patients recruited for the study were classified into 85 controls and 110 HBV infected cases, which included 34 IC, 30 CLD, 32 LC and 14 HCC patients. The polymorphisms at the respective sites were detected by a PCR-RFLP followed by statistical analysis.

resultsThe frequency of the genotype -238 GG and the allele -238G in the cases (89.0% and 92.7% respectively) was significantly higher than that in the controls (68.2% and 82.2% respectively) (P < 0.001, OR = 3.8 and P = 0.001, OR = 2.73). Whereas the -238 GA genotype was significantly high in the control group (28.2%) when compared to the cases (7.2%) (P < 0.001, OR = 0.2). Similarly, the frequency of -863CC and the allele -863C was significantly higher among the cases (24.5% and 49.5%) compared to controls (1.17% and 34.7%), (P < 0.001, OR = 27.32 and P = 0.003, OR = 1.85), whereas the -863CA genotype was significantly high in the controls (67.0%) when compared to the cases (50.0%) (P = 0.01, OR = 0.49). Haplotype -863C/-857C/-238G in cases was significantly higher than controls (P = 0.002). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicates that the genotype -863CC bears a negative association with liver disease progression.

conclusionThe present study established an association of polymorphisms at site -238 and -863 of the TNF-α promoter with the outcome HBV infection and disease progression.