title: Carriage of the apolipoprotein E-epsilon4 allele and histologic outcome of recurrent hepatitis C after antiviral treatment.
abstract: Carriage of the epsilon4 allelic variant of the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene might affect the outcome of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The liver transplantation setting offers the opportunity to verify the role of the donor's vs recipient's ApoE polymorphism. Twenty-four patients (16 men) with recurrent hepatitis C, all infected by HCV-1b and treated with interferon and ribavirin, were genotyped for ApoE variants. Liver biopsies were done at baseline and 12 months later After treatment, staging scores improved in 10 of 24 patients. Staging improvement was associated with recipient sex, completion of the full antiviral schedule, and recipient's epsilon4 carriage. The beneficial effect of epsilon4 carriage toward the progression of fibrosis was due entirely to the contribution given by male patients and was independent of the viral response. Recipients', but not donors', carriage of at least 1 epsilon4 allele might be associated with a better histologic outcome in recurrent HCV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Medicine Experimental and Clinical, University of Udine, Italy.
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Toniutto
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fabris
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fumo
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Apollonio
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caldato
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mariuzzi
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Avellini
authors.forename: Rosalba
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Minisini
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pirisi
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000502:physiology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D049669:History, 16th Century; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012008:Recurrence; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D012254:Ribavirin; D007372:Interferons