STAT4 genetic polymorphisms association with spontaneous clearance of hepatitis B virus infection

STAT4 signal pathway plays an important role in IFN-γ-mediated antiviral activity. Recent studies show an association of STAT4 polymorphisms with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. We therefore investigated the influence of STAT4 polymorphisms on the susceptibility of spontaneous clearance of HBV in a Chinese Han population. Genomic DNA from 288 cases with chronic HBV infection and 288 controls who spontaneously recovered from HBV infection was analyzed for five SNPs in the STAT4 gene (rs7574865, rs7572482, rs7582694 rs11889341, and rs8179673).Our analysis revealed that all the minor alleles of the four SNPs (rs7574865, rs7582694, rs11889341, and rs8179673) had an association with overall decreased risk to HBV infection [p = 0.040, OR 0.762 (95 % CI 0.593–0.981); p = 0.011, OR 0.686 (95 % CI 0.535–0.878); p = 0.023, OR 0.751 (95 % CI 0.586–0.962); p = 0.002, OR 0.670 (95 % CI 0.521–0.861), respectively]. The major alleles of the four SNPs were found to be associated with increased risk of HBV-related cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Furthermore, the haplotype GGGCT constructed from the five SNPs was found to have a highly significant association with chronic HBV infection when compared to the controls who spontaneously recovered from HBV infection [p = 0.031, OR 1.368 (95 % CI 1.028–1.818)]. These findings indicate that STAT4 minor allele may be associated with the spontaneous clearance of HBV, whereas the major allele may be associated with the progress of the HBV-related liver disease.