Genetic association between CD44 polymorphisms and chronic hepatitis B virus infection in a Chinese Han population

Aims: This article aimed at discussing the association of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection with CD44 polymorphisms in Chinese Han population; meanwhile, the interaction of polymorphisms was also analyzed based on chronic HBV infection. Methods: The genotyping of CD44 polymorphisms was conducted by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in 108 HBV infected and 130 healthy persons. The genotype distributions of CD44 rs187115, rs13347 in the control group were checked by Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). The strength of the relevance between polymorphism and disease was measured by odds ratio (OR) with corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) calculated by chi(2) test. The 2x4 crossover analysis method was used to conduct the interaction analysis of polymorphisms. Results: The genotype distributions in controls conformed to HWE. GG genotype and G allele frequencies in rs187115 were obviously higher in cases than the controls (P=0.02, 0.04). Compared with the common genotype CC, individual who carried mutant genotypes (CT and TT) of rs13347 had a significantly high risk to suffer from HBV infection (OR=1.99, P=0.02 for CT; OR=3.56, P=3.00x10(-3) for TT), furthermore, CT+TT genotype also showed a high susceptibility (OR=2.27, P=2.00x10(-3)). Similarly, T allele of rs13347 increased 0.98 times risk in cases compared with controls (OR= 1.98, 95% CI=1.34-2.92). The two polymorphisms in CD44 presented a positive interaction. Conclusion: CD44 polymorphisms are associated with chronic HBV infection as the risk factors, and the synergistic action is also found between the two polymorphisms.