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AIM: To investigate the polymorphisms of interleukin-18(IL-18) gene promoters, and to disclose whether such polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to chronic hepatitis B in Chinese Han population.METHODS: Using polymerase chain reaction with sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP) method, the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the promoter region of IL-18 gene at position -607 and -137 were detected in 231 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 300 normal controls.RESULTS: Allele C at position -607 in the promoter of IL-18 gene was detected in 48.7% of normal controls and 51.9% of patients, while allele A at position -607 was detected in 51.3% of normal controls and 48.1% of patients. The frequencies of -607CC, -607 CA and -607AAgenotypes in normal controls were 22.0%, 53.3% and 24.7% respectively and in chronic hepatitis B patients were 26.8%, 50.2% and 23.0% respectively. Allele G at position -137 in the promoter of IL-18 gene was detected in 82.3% of normal controls and 88.5% of chronic hepatitis B patients, while allele C at position -137 was detected in 17.7% of normal controls and 11.5% of patients. The frequencies of -137GG, GC and CC genotype were 67.3%,30.0% and 2.7% in normal controls respectively, while in chronic hepatitis B patients were 78.8%, 19.5% and 1.7% respectively. The frequency of-137GG genotype in chronic hepatitis B groups was significantly higher than that in normal controls (χ2 = 8.55, P = 0.003 ＜0.05),whereas the frequencies of -607C/-137C and -607A/-137Chaplotypes in chronic hepatitis B groups were significantly lower than that in normal controls. The association between genotypes of IL-18 promoter region polymorphisms and HBV copies showed that the frequency of -607AAgenotype in high HBV-DNA copies groups was lower than that in low HBV-DNA copies groups (χ2 = 6.03, P = 0.014＜0.05).CONCLUSION: The polymorphisms of the promoter region of IL-18 gene at position -607 and -137 are closely associated with susceptibility to chronic hepatitis B. The people with allele C at position -137 in the promoter of IL-18 gene may be protected against HBV infection;moreover AA genotype at position -607 may be closely linked to inhibit HBV-DNA replication. These findings give some new clues to the study of pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis B.