title: Factors predictive of response to interferon-alpha therapy in hepatitis C virus type 1b infection.
abstract: Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) has been used to treat hepatitis C Virus (HCV)-induced infection but has been effective in only about half of all patients. It is suggested that the different responses to IFN-alpha treatment in HCV infection may be influenced by HCV genotypes, HCV RNA titer at the beginning of IFN-alpha therapy, and the sequences of the interferon sensitivity determining region (ISDR). However, there have also been reports showing that these have no relation to an IFN-alpha effect. In a previous study, it was found that the nucleotide sequence variation in the hypervariable region (HVR) 1 of the HCV could predict the effect of IFN-alpha. In the present investigation, an attempt was made to determine the predictive factors of IFN-alpha therapy. Twenty-six patients with HCV infection were treated with IFN-alpha. Among these, 13 patients recovered after 3 to 6 months of IFN-alpha treatment, although the other 13 patients showed no response after 6 months of treatment with IFN-alpha. In order to determine the predictive factors of IFN-alpha therapy, the ALT levels, HCV genotypes, HCV serum titer, and the quasispecies of HVR 1 were compared between responders and non-responders. It is suggested that the variation in the HVR 1 and HCV serum titer can be used to predict the effect of IFN-alpha.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Institute of Basic Medical Science, Wonju School of Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Byung-Il
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Kwang-Hyub
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Hyean-Woo
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Joon Hyung
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: Wang-Shick
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Do-Jun
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Joonho
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Hyun-Won
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: In Deok
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Sei Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Jong-Whan
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; C400562:HVR1 protein, Hepatitis C virus; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins