Relationship between MIF-173 G/C polymorphism and susceptibility to chronic hepatitis B and HBV-induced liver cirrhosis

• MIF-173 G/C polymorphism was genotyped in patients with CHB or HC in southern China.
• Frequency of MIF-173 C/C genotype in patients with CHB or HC was increased.
• Frequency of the C allele at MIF-173 in CHB patients was also increased.
• Serum levels of MIF were enhanced in CHB or HC patients.
• So MIF-173 G/C polymorphism could be associated with susceptibility to CHB or HC.

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), a pro-inflammatory cytokine, played an important role in immune-mediated diseases. The promoter region of MIF, which had functional polymorphisms, controlled MIF expression. MIF polymorphism was associated with many inflammatory diseases. But the association of MIF polymorphism with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) or HBV-induced liver cirrhosis (HC) had not yet been reported. In present study, polymorphism of MIF-173 was genotyped in 95 CHB patients, 73 HC patients and 90 healthy controls in southern China. The frequency of MIF-173 C/C genotype in patients with CHB or HC was statistically significantly higher than that in healthy controls, respectively. Moreover, difference in the distribution of MIF-173 C allele between CHB patients and healthy controls was statistically significant. However, there was no statistical relationship between MIF-173 genotype and clinical features in patients with CHB or HC. Our results suggest that MIF-173 C/C polymorphism might be associated with increased risk of CHB or HC in Chinese southern population.