Impact of the IL-10 Promoter Gene Polymorphisms in the Severity of Chronic Hepatitis B Infection

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is an important anti-inflammatory cytokine. The polymorphisms of its promoter gene have been considered to be related with the chronicity of hepatitis B infection. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the polymorphisms at different positions in the IL-10 promoter gene in patients with chronic hepatitis B. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Totally, 166 patients with chronic hepatitis B infection were enrolled. Genotypes at different positions (i.e. -819, - 592, and - 1082) in the IL-10 gene promoter were determined. RESULTS: The C/A genotype at position -592, C/T genotype at position -819, and GCC/ATA haplotype of the IL-10 gene promoter were significantly more common in the patients with cirrhosis. The genotypes were significantly different between the hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative and HBeAg-positive patients at position -592 (C/A and C/C), position -819 (C/C and C/T), and position -1082 (A/A and G/A). CONCLUSIONS: Some IL-10 promoter gene polymorphisms predisposed the infected hepatitis B virus cases to cirrhosis in our study population.