Association of FAM65B, AGBL4, and CUX2 genetic polymorphisms with susceptibility to antituberculosis drug-induced hepatotoxicity: validation study in a Chinese Han population

Objective Antituberculosis (anti-TB) drug-induced hepatotoxicity (ATDH) is a serious adverse drug reaction, and its pathogenic mechanism has not been elucidated thoroughly to date. A recent genome-wide association study reported that seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the family with sequence similarity 65, member B gene (FAM65B), ATP/GTP-binding protein-like 4 gene (AGBL4), and cut-like homeobox 2 gene (CUX2) were associated strongly with ATDH in Ethiopian patients. We validated this relationship in a Chinese Han anti-TB treatment population. Patients and methods A 1 : 2 matched case-control study was carried out of 235 ATDH cases and 470 controls. Multivariate conditional logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the association between genotypes and risk of ATDH by odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals, and weight and hepatoprotectant use were used as covariates. Results Patients with a polymorphism at rs10946737 in the FAM65B gene were at an increased risk of moderate and severe liver injury under the dominant model (adjusted odds ratio=2.147, 95% confidence interval: 1.067-4.323, P=0.032). No other genotypes or genetic risk scores were found to be significantly related to ATDH. Conclusion This is the first study to explore and validate the relationships between seven SNPs in the FAM65B, AGBL4, and CUX2 genes and ATDH in a Chinese population. On the basis of this case-control study, SNP rs10946737 in FAM65B may be associated with susceptibility to ATDH in Chinese Han anti-TB treatment patients. Further research is warranted to explain the role of the FAM65B gene and its contribution toward individual differences in susceptibility to ATDH.