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Background/objectives: An ineffective cytokine response is thought to be one of the reasons for the failure to suppress hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication and to eliminate the virus. We investigated the serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, IL-12, and interferon (IFN)-γ in HBV-infected Vietnamese patients to determine whether they were related to the outcome of HBV infection. Study design: Samples from a total of 154 HBV-infected patients with well-characterised clinical profiles and 56 healthy controls were assessed. Results: Serum IL-6 levels, which were inversely correlated with transaminase levels, were highest in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and lowest in those with either asymptomatic (ASYM), acute or chronic HBV, and thus, represented the best marker of HBV-related clinical progression. Compared with the healthy control group, serum IL-12 was uniformly elevated in all HBV-infected patients apart from those with ASYM infections, implying no impairment of production of this cytokine in HBV-infected individuals. Serum IL-10 and IFN-γ levels, however, were uniformly low and showed no association with clinical presentation. Cytokine profiles were not influenced by the presence of hepatitis B e antigen (HbeAg). Conclusions: Serum IL-6 and IL-12 but not IL-10 and IFN-γ are associated with the clinical presentation in HBV-infected Vietnamese patients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Vitamin D derivatives and their receptor (VDR) are potent modulators of immune responses in various diseases including malignancies as well as in metabolic and infectious disorders. The impact of vitamin D receptor polymorphisms on clinical outcomes of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is not well understood. This study aims to investigate the potential role of VDR polymorphisms (TaqI, FokI, ApaI, and BsmI) in Vietnamese HBV infected patients and to correlate these polymorphisms with the progression of HBV-related liver disease. Methods: Four hundred forty-three HBV infected patients of the three clinically well-defined subgroups chronic hepatitis B (CHB, n = 183), liver cirrhosis (LC, n = 89) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, n = 171) and 238 healthy individuals (HC) were enrolled. VDR polymorphisms were genotyped by DNA sequencing and in-house validated ARMS assays. Logistic regression models were applied in order to determine the association of VDR polymorphisms with manifest HBV infection as well as with progression of related liver diseases mulin different genetic models. Results: The VDR ApaI CA genotype was less frequent in HCC than in CHB patients in different genetic models (codominant model, OR = 0.5, 95%CI = 0.3–0.84, P = 0.004; dominant model, OR = 0.46, 95%CI = 0.27–0.76, P = 0.0023). In the recessive model, the genotype ApaI AA was found more frequently among HCC compared to CHB patients (OR = 2.56, 95%CI = 1.01–6.48, P = 0.04). Similarly, the ApaI CA genotype was less frequent in HCC than in non-HCC group codominant model, OR = 0.6, 95%CI = 0.4–0.98, dominant model, P = 0.04 and OR = 0.6, 95%CI = 0.38–0.90, P = 0.017). The ApaI genotypes CA and AA was significantly associated with higher levels of liver enzymes, bilirubin, and HBV DNA (P < 0.05). No association between TaqI, FokI and BsmI polymorphisms and any clinical outcome as well as liver disease progression was found. Conclusions: Among the four investigated VDR polymorphisms, ApaI is associated with clinical outcome and liver disease progression in Vietnamese HBV infected patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The NTCP S267F variant is associated with a lower risk of chronic HBV infection. • First study on NTCP S267F variant on concomitant HDV infection in Vietnamese population. • The NTCP S267F is correlated with a reduced risk on clinical progression of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Abstract Objectives To determine potential associations of the rs2296651 variant (c.800C > T, S267F) of NTCP with HBV and HBV plus concomitant HDV infection as well as with the progression of related liver diseases. Methods The S267F variant was genotyped by DNA sequencing in 620 HBV-infected patients and 214 healthy controls (HCs). Among the patients, 450 individuals were tested for HDV by a nested PCR assay. Logistic regression was applied to examine the association. Results The S267F variant was found more frequently among HCs (16%) compared to HBV-infected (6%) and HBV-HDV co-infected patients (3%) (HBV patients vs HC: OR = 0.32, P = 0.00002 and HDV patients vs. HC: OR = 0.17, P = 0.018). The frequency of S267F variant was inversely correlated with CHB, LC or HCC patients compared with HCs (OR = 0.31, P = 0.001; OR = 0.32, P = 0.013; OR = 0.34, P = 0.002, respectively). S267F variant was also associated with decreased risk of the development of advanced liver cirrhosis (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (Child B and C vs. Child A, OR = 0.26, adjusted P = 0.016; BCLC B,C,D vs. BCLC A, OR = 0.038, P = 0.045, respectively). In addition, patients with the genotype CT had lower levels of AST, ALT, total and direct bilirubin as well as higher platelet counts, indicating an association with a more favorable clinical outcome. Conclusion The NTCP S267F variant of the SLC10A1 gene exhibits protective effects against HBV and HDV infection and is associated with a reduced risk of developing to advanced stages of LC and HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]