Abstract:ObjectiveTo detect mRNA expression of stimulator of interferon genes (STING)and type I interferons(IFNα and IFNβ) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs) of patients with chronic hepatitis B(CHB), and evaluate its correlation with hepatitis B virus load.Methods88 untreated CHB patients (CHB group) and 74 healthy persons (control group) who performed physical examination were chosen from Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University during the same period between February 2016 and February 2017. Expressions of mRNA of STING, IFNα, and IFNβ were detected by quantitative realtime polymerase chain reaction (PCR),their relative expression values were obtained by 2ΔΔCT method, results were statistically analyzed.ResultsThe expression of STING, IFNα, and IFNβ mRNA in peripheral blood of CHB patients were 2.95, 3.14, and 2.01 folds of healthy controls respectively, differences were statistically significant( t=-4.72,-3.41,-2.31,respectively, all P<0.05). STING relative expression in patients with HBV DNA load≤104 IU/mL was 2.98, 3.76, and 3.97 folds of patients with HBV DNA load 104-105 IU/mL, 105-106 IU/mL, and>106 IU/mL, respectively(P<0.05). mRNA expressions of STING in CHB patients were positively correlated with that of IFNα and IFNβ mRNA (r=0.475, 0.503, respectively, both P<0.05). ConclusionThe expression of STING increased in patients with CHB, high expression of STING impacted the replication of HBV.