Abstract: Objective The aim of this study was to explore the correlation of polymorphisms of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and interferon-λ4 (IFNL4) genes to response toα-interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Methods A total of 92 patients with CHB were enrolled in our hospital between September 2018 and February 2021, and all were treated with α-interferon for 1 year. The polymorphisms of CGRP gene at rs155209 locus, and IFNL4 gene at rs368234815 and rs12979860 loci were detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. The Logistic regression analysis was applied to reveal the correlation of polymorphisms of genes to response of antiviral therapy. Results At the end of 1-year antiviral therapy, the complete response (CR) was obtained in 67 cases(72.8%) anddidn’t obtained in 25 cases (27.2%); the proportions of CC genotype and C allele at CGRP-rs155209 locus in patients without CR were 36.0% and 56.0%, significantly higher than 16.4% and 32.8% in patients who got CR (P<0.05); the frequencies of TT/TT genotype and TT gene at IFNL4-rs368234815 locus in non-response patients were 76.0% and 86.0%, significantly lower than 92.5% and 95.5% (P<0.05) in responded ones; the proportions of CC, CT and TT genotypes at IFNL4-rs12979860 loci in non-response patients were 44.0%, 44.0% and 12.0%, not significantly different compared with 40.3%, 46.3% and 13.4% (P>0.05) in responded ones; the unconditional Logistic regression analysis with corrected gender and age showed that CC genotype at CGRP-rs155209 locus was a risk genotype for poor response to α-interferon therapy [OR=1.489 (95%CI: 1.103-2.009)], while TT/TT genotype at IFNL4-rs368234815 locus was a protective genotype [OR=0.652 (95%CI: 0.477-0.893)]. Conclusion The CC genotype at CGRP-rs155209 locus is a risk genotype for poor response to α-interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B, while the TT/TT genotype at IFNL4-rs368234815 locus is a protective one, which both might impact the biochemical and virological responses to α-interferon therapy, and needs further investigation.

Key words: Hepatitis B, α-interferon, Calcitonin gene-related peptide, interferon-λ4, Gene polymorphism, Response