Study of the association between major histocompatibility complex class II genes and the response to interferon alpha in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to determine the influence of HLA class II genes on the response to interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) in patients with chronic hepatitis C.


METHODS
The distribution of HLA DRB1 and DQB1 alleles was assessed in 170 caucasoïd patients treated with IFN-alpha for chronic hepatitis C. 50 patients had a long term sustained response to treatment whereas 120 patients were nonresponders.


RESULTS
Female sex, non-1 HCV genotype particularly genotype 2 and pretreatment low serum HCV RNA level were associated with long-term sustained response to IFN-alpha. A trend towards a higher prevalence of DRB1*07 allele in non responders than in patients with sustained response (45% vs. 28%, odds ratio 2.1; P < 0.05) on the one hand and of DQB1*06 allele in HCV genotype 1 patients with sustained response than in HCV genotype 1 nonresponders (75% vs 27.3%, odds ration 7.9; P < 0.02) on the other hand, were observed. However, none of these two differences remained significant after Bonferroni's correction.


CONCLUSIONS
Accordingly, we conclude that the response to IFN-alpha therapy is more tightly related to virus factors than to host's HLA class II genes.
Service de Médecine Interne-Fédération Digestive, Hopital Purpan, Toulouse, France. alric.l@chu-toulouse.fr
L
L
Alric
J
J
Izopet
M
M
Fort
J P
JP
Vinel
P
P
Fontenelle
C
C
Orfila
J L
JL
Payen
K
K
Sandres
H
H
Desmorat
J P
JP
Charlet
M
M
Duffaut
M
M
Abbal
D005260:Female; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; C069051:HLA-DQB1 antigen; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins