Effects of interleukin-12 gene polymorphism on response to hepatitis B vaccination among hemodialysis Egyptian patients

• Main Authors: Sawsan M Abdel-Moniem, Mohammed A Mohammed, Ziyad M Essam El-Deen, Hanan M Mostafa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SpringerOpen 2019-01-01
• Series: The Egyptian Journal of Internal Medicine
• Subjects: hepatitis b virus vaccines; hemodialysis; interleukin-12 gene polymorphism
• Online Access: http://www.esim.eg.net/article.asp?issn=1110-7782;year=2019;volume=31;issue=4;spage=804;epage=812;aulast=Abdel-Moniem

Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major health problem among hemodialysis (HD) patients. Interleukin (IL)-12 gene polymorphisms may be associated with immune response variability to recombinant HBV vaccines. The aim was to determine the correlation between IL-12 gene polymorphism and hepatitis B surface-antibody (HBs-Ab) titer in response to HBV vaccine among HD Egyptian patients. Patients and methods Seventy patients receiving long-term HD and 20 age-matched and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled. All participants were non-HBV vaccinated and seronegative for HBV and HIV. Recombinant HBV vaccine was given (three-dose scheduled). Thereafter, HBs-Ab titer and IL-12 gene polymorphism were evaluated 8 weeks after the last vaccination dose. Results There was no response (HBs-Ab<10 μIU/ml) in 20% of HD patients and 10% of the controls. HBs-Ab titers showed no significant correlation with duration of HD, BMI, serum albumin, hemoglobin, leucocytic count, parathyroid hormone level, or IL-12 gene polymorphism. Responders to vaccination had significantly lower transferrin saturation and significantly higher levels of urea reduction ratio, Kt/V and lymphopenia. IL-12B genotype frequency was as follows: AA (58.3 vs. 55.6%), AC (37.5%) and CC (4.2 vs. 0%) in responders of either HD or control participants, respectively (P>0.05 for all). Conclusion There was no significant association between IL-12B gene polymorphism and HBs-Ab response in Egyptian HD patients. In HD patients, lymphocytopnea, diabetes mellitus (DM), high transferrin saturation and inefficient HD were associated with HBV vaccine hyporesponsiveness.