Relationship between IL- 28B polymorphisms and susceptibility to hepatitis C among Han population in Jiangsu Province, China

Objective To investigate the association between interleukin- 28B ( IL- 28B) polymorphisms and susceptibility to hepatitis C among the Han population in Jiangsu Province, China. Methods A case- control study was conducted in 88 hepatitis C patients who visited the Second Hospital of Nanjing in 2011 and 100 healthy controls who underwent physical examination in the same hospital. PCR and direct sequencing were used to detect IL- 28B single- nucleotide polymorphisms ( SNPs) ( rs8099917, rs12979860, rs12980275, rs8113007, and rs12972991) . Genotypes and alleles were compared between the two groups. Statistical analysis was performed by Pearsonχ2test; the sample representativeness was evaluated according to the Hardy- Weinberg equilibrium. Results There were no significant differences in sex and age between the two groups ( P = 0. 92 and 0. 28) . The major genotypes at the five IL- 28B SNPs among subjects were TT, CC, AA, AA, and AA. No significant differences were observed between hepatitis C patients and healthy controls in the genotypes and alleles at these IL- 28B SNPs ( χ2= 0. 31, 0. 50, 0. 60, 0. 15, and 0. 07, P > 0. 05 for all; χ2= 0. 29, 0. 48, 0. 56, 0. 14, and 0. 07, P >0. 05 for all) . Conclusion IL- 28B SNPs ( rs8099917, rs12979860, rs12980275, rs8113007, and rs12972991) may not be associated with the susceptibility to hepatitis C among the Han population in Jiangsu Province.