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Genetic variation in FCER1A predicts peginterferon alfa‐2a‐induced hepatitis B surface antigen clearance in East Asian patients with chronic hepatitis B
Author(s) -
Wei Lai,
Pavlovic Vedran,
Bansal Aruna T.,
Chen Xiaoping,
Foster Graham R.,
He Hua,
Kao JiaHorng,
Lampertico Pietro,
Liaw YunFan,
Motoc Adriana,
Papatheodoridis George V.,
Piratvisuth Teerha,
Plesniak Robert,
Wat Cynthia
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of viral hepatitis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1365-2893
pISSN - 1352-0504
DOI - 10.1111/jvh.13107
Subject(s) - hbsag , single nucleotide polymorphism , genotype , hepatitis b virus , virology , hepatitis b , immunology , serology , antigen , biology , medicine , gene , antibody , genetics , virus
In a multicentre, genome‐wide association study to identify host genetic factors associated with treatment response in adult chronic hepatitis B patients, genotype data were obtained by microarray analysis from 1669 patients who received peginterferon alfa‐2a for ≥ 24 weeks with/without a nucleos(t)ide analog. Treatment response was assessed at least 24 weeks post‐treatment, using serological and/or virological endpoints. Thirty‐six single‐marker analyses and a gene‐by‐gene analysis were conducted. No single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) achieved genome‐wide significance ( P < 5 × 10 −8 ) in single‐marker analyses, but suggestive associations ( P < 1 × 10 −5 ) were identified for 116 SNPs. In gene‐by‐gene analyses, one gene, FCER1A ( rs7549785 ), reached genome‐wide significance ( P = 2.65 × 10 −8 ) in East Asian patients for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) clearance, with a moderate effect size (odds ratio = 4.74). Eleven of 44 carriers (25%) of the A allele at rs7549785 achieved HBsAg clearance compared with 69/1051 (7%) noncarriers. FCER1A encodes the alpha subunit of the immunoglobulin E receptor. In a post hoc analysis of a homogenous patient subset, the strongest intragenic association was for rs7712322 ( POLR3G , P = 7.21 × 10 −7 ). POLR3G encodes the G subunit of the polymerase (RNA) III enzyme, involved in sensing and limiting infection by intracellular bacteria and DNA viruses, and as a DNA sensor in innate immune responses. FCER1A ( rs7549785 ) and possibly POLR3G ( rs7712322 ) are shown to be associated with peginterferon alfa‐2a response in adult patients with chronic hepatitis B. Independent confirmation of these findings is warranted (clinicaltrials.gov number NCT01855997).