A new risk factor for the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: HLA complex genes

Several studies have emphasized the role of genetic factors in susceptibility to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The aim of this study was to examine the possible influence of human leukocyte antigen in the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Between January 2000 and January 2008, data of 655 donor candidates were examined from routinely performed abdominal ultrasonography and for aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, cytomegalovirus, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatic functions, and human leukocyte antigen class I and II antigens; data of 116 healthy candidates were also included in this study. To reduce the influence of possible confounding factors, we excluded diseases known to be associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease like obesity, diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, hyperlipidemia, and metabolic syndrome. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was diagnosed in 66 individuals (33 male, median age: 53.8 [range, 32-77 years]) by means of ultrasonography data, and 50 individuals, whose ultrasonography data did not show hepatosteatosis, comprised the control group (20 male, median age: 44.6 [range, 26-71 years]).

Human leukocyte antigen-B65 (28.8% vs 0%, p<0.001) and DQ5 (40.7% vs 16.1%, p<0.05) were found to be expressed significantly more in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease compared with controls. Serum alanine aminotransferase (27.1 IU/L vs 20 IU/L, p<0.05) was significantly higher in the study group.

Our preliminary study suggests that human leukocyte antigen plays a role in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; however, more studies are needed to clarify these data.