Objective       To investigate the effect of polymorphisms of IL-12

IL-1B and IL-17 on the response of antiviral treatment in chronic hepatitis B patients who received entecavir treatment

and explore the association of the polymorphisms with HBeAg seroconversion.       Methods       A total of 109 HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients who had received entecavir treatment in our department from October 2010 to August 2011 were prospectively recruited in this study. Their liver functions

HBV markers

and HBV copies were measured in every 3 months to evaluate HBeAg seroconversion. After 24 months’ treatment

the cases achieving HBeAg seroconversion (response) were assigned as response group

and the others were assigned as non-response group. IL-12A rs568408

IL-1B rs1143623

and IL-17A rs8193036 were genotyped by MGB-TaqMan SNP genotyping assay. Then SNPstats was applied to analyze the association between the polymorphisms with HBeAg seroconversion.       Results        There were 29 cases getting HBeAg seroconversion

and the other 80 cases not

with a total response rate of 26.6%. IL-12A rs568408 was associated with HBeAg seroconversion

with GA genotype achieving higher HBeAg seroconversion rate than GG genotype (OR=3.72

95% CI=1.34-10.32

P=0.012). However

no significant association was found between IL-1B rs1143623 (OR=1.99

95% CI=0.72-5.44

P=0.17) or IL-17A rs8193036 (OR=1.54

95% CI=0.32-7.33

P=0.60) with HBeAg seroconversion.       Conclusion       IL-12A rs568408 is significantly associated with HBeAg seroconversion in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients who received entecavir treatment.