Relationship between STING gene expression and HBV DNA load in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with chronic hepatitis B

Abstract:

ObjectiveTo detect mRNA expression of stimulator of interferon genes (STING）and type I interferons(IFNα and IFNβ) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs) of patients with chronic hepatitis B(CHB), and evaluate its correlation with hepatitis B virus load．Methods88 untreated CHB patients (CHB group) and 74 healthy persons (control group) who performed physical examination were chosen from Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University during the same period between February 2016 and February 2017. Expressions of mRNA of STING, IFNα, and IFNβ were detected by quantitative realtime polymerase chain reaction (PCR)，their relative expression values were obtained by 2ΔΔCT method, results were statistically analyzed.ResultsThe expression of STING, IFNα, and IFNβ mRNA in peripheral blood of CHB patients were 2.95, 3.14, and 2.01 folds of healthy controls respectively, differences were statistically significant( t=-4.72，-3.41，-2.31，respectively, all P<0.05). STING relative expression in patients with HBV DNA load≤104 IU/mL was 2.98, 3.76, and 3.97 folds of patients with HBV DNA load 104-105 IU/mL, 105-106 IU/mL, and＞106 IU/mL, respectively（P<0.05）. mRNA expressions of STING in CHB patients were positively correlated with that of IFNα and IFNβ mRNA (r=0.475, 0.503, respectively, both P<0.05). ConclusionThe expression of STING increased in patients with CHB, high expression of STING impacted the replication of HBV.