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Toll Like Receptor 4 D299G Associates with Disease Progression in Caucasian Patients with Chronic HBV Infection: Relationship with Gender

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Abstract

This study aimed to verify whether rs4986790 A > G single nucleotide polymorphism of toll like receptor 4 (TLR-4) associates with a more severe course of hepatitis B virus (HBV) chronic infection. A cross-sectional study enrolled 191 Caucasian HBV-positive patients: 28 HBsAg + inactive carriers, 121 chronic hepatitis B, 42 HBsAg + transplant candidates. A longitudinal study included 94 patients followed-up for a median time of 19.3 years. TLR-4 rs4986790 A/A genotype was carried less frequently in male HBsAg + inactive carriers than in males with HBsAg + active chronic infection (12/17 Vs 109/121, p = 0.022). At stepwise logistic regression analysis, the carriage of TLR-4 rs4986790 A/A genotype was found to be and independent predictor of liver fibrosis (O.R. 14.8, p = 0.019). In conclusion, in HBV-positive Caucasian patients, the A/A genotype of the rs4986790 polymorphism may influence a worse outcome of chronic HBV infection, mainly through a synergistic interaction with male gender.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory Medicine, University of Udine, Udine, Italy

    Annarosa Cussigh, Edmondo Falleti, Sara Cmet & Eleonora Bignulin

  2. Department of Medical Sciences Experimental and Clinical, Medical Liver Transplantation Unit, Internal Medicine, University of Udine, Udine, Italy

    Carlo Fabris, Davide Bitetto & Pierluigi Toniutto

  3. Gastroenterology Clinic, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria, University of Verona, Verona, Italy

    Giovanna Fattovich

Authors
  1. Annarosa Cussigh
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  2. Carlo Fabris
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  3. Giovanna Fattovich
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  4. Edmondo Falleti
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  5. Sara Cmet
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  6. Davide Bitetto
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  7. Eleonora Bignulin
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  8. Pierluigi Toniutto
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pierluigi Toniutto.

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Cussigh, A., Fabris, C., Fattovich, G. et al. Toll Like Receptor 4 D299G Associates with Disease Progression in Caucasian Patients with Chronic HBV Infection: Relationship with Gender. J Clin Immunol 33, 313–316 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10875-012-9822-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10875-012-9822-9

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