AIM: To identify the two polymorphisms of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) gene in the Chinese population and to explore their correlation with both hepatitis B virus (HBV) self-limited infection and persistent infection.METHODS: A total of 316 subjects with self-limited HBV infection and 316 patients with persistent HBV infection (195 subjects without familial history),matched with age and sex,from the Chinese Han population were enrolled in this study.Polymorphisms of MTP at the promoter region -493 and at H297Q were determined by the allele specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR).RESULTS: The ratio of males to females was 2.13:1 for each group and the average age in the self-limited and chronic infection groups was 38.36 and 38.28 years,respectively.None of the allelic distributions deviated significantly from that predicted by the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.There was a linkage disequilibrium between H297Q and -493G/T(D'=0.77).As the X2 test was used,the genotype distribution of MTP-493G/T demonstrated a significant difference between the self-limited infection group and the entire chronic group or the chronic patients with no family history (X2=8.543,P=0.015 and X2=7.199,P=0.019).The allele distribution at the MTP-493 position also demonstrated a significant difference between the study groups without family history (X2=6.212,P=0.013).The T allele emerged as a possible protective factor which may influence the outcomes of HBV infection (OR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.389-0.897).CONCLUSION: The polymorphism of the MTP gene,T allele at -493,may be involved in determining the HBV infection outcomes,of which the mechanism needs to be further investigated.