title: The dinucleotide microsatellite polymorphism of the IFNAR1 gene promoter correlates with responsiveness of hepatitis C patients to interferon.
abstract: We studied a possible correlation between the dinucleotide microsatellite polymorphism of the interferon alpha/beta receptor-1 gene (IFNAR1) and responsiveness of hepatitis C patients to interferon therapy. The length of GT-repeat (n of (GT)(n)) in the IFNAR1 promoter was determined in 157 patients, of whom 50 were responders and 107 were nonresponders to interferon. The genotypes 5/5 (i.e. homozygotes of (GT)(5)) and 5/14 (i.e. heterozygotes of (GT)(5) and (GT)(14)) were more frequently found in responders than in nonresponders: 80 versus 58%, P=0.008. Thus, determining (GT)(n) of the IFNAR1 promoter may help predict treatment outcome in patients treated with interferon alpha and/or beta. In addition, we sought for genetic polymorphism in the promoter region of the interferon alpha/beta receptor-2 gene (IFNAR2), and found single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at -134 and -75. But these SNPs did not show a clinical significance, as compared with the GT-repeat in IFNAR1, in the context of interferon responsiveness.
authors.affiliation: The GeneCare Institute, Kamakura, Japan
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Matsuyama
authors.forename: Shunji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mishiro
authors.forename: Masanobu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Furuichi
authors.forename: Michie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Minako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hijikata
authors.forename: Yasuhiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohta