Impact of the IL10 Promoter Gene Polymorphisms in the Severity of Chronic Hepatitis B Infection

Interleukin10 (IL10) is an important antiinflammatory cytokine. The polymorphisms of its promoter gene have been considered to be related with the chronicity of hepatitis B infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the polymorphisms at different positions in the IL10 promoter gene in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Totally, 166 patients with chronic hepatitis B infection were enrolled. Genotypes at different positions (i.e. 819, 592, and 1082) in the IL10 gene promoter were determined. The C/A genotype at position 592, C/T genotype at position 819, and GCC/ATA haplotype of the IL10 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 HBeAgpositive patients at position 592 (C/A and C/C), position 819 (C/C and C/T), and position 1082 (A/A and G/A). Some IL10 promoter gene polymorphisms predisposed the infected hepatitis B virus cases to cirrhosis in our study population.