title: IL-28B rs12979860 C/T allele distribution in patients with liver cirrhosis: role in the course of chronic viral hepatitis and the development of HCC.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A single nucleotide polymorphism (rs12979860 C/T) 3kb upstream of the interleukin 28B (IL-28B) gene was shown to be associated with hepatitis C clearance. We verified whether this association also translates into a different genotype distribution at the end of the disease trajectory.
  
  
  METHODS
  A RFLP-PCR technique was used to genotype 412 patients with cirrhosis due to hepatitis C (n=199), hepatitis B (n=75), alcohol (n=110), and other causes (n=28), of whom 256 underwent liver transplantation (OLT). Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was demonstrated in the native liver of 85 OLT patients, 52 with viral cirrhosis, and 33 with non-viral cirrhosis respectively. A group of 292 patients (235 HCV and 57 HBV positive) with mild chronic hepatitis and 344 healthy subjects served as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant difference (p=0.0005) was observed in IL-28B rs12979860 genotype frequencies between patients with viral cirrhosis (C/C=99, C/T=137, T/T=38) and those with non-viral cirrhosis (C/C=72, C/T=58, T/T=8). Patients with HCV related cirrhosis carried more frequently the T/T genotype in comparison to mild hepatitis C or HBV-related cirrhosis. IL-28B rs12979860 genotype frequencies were C/C=23, C/T=50, T/T=12 among OLT patients with cirrhosis complicated by HCC, and C/C=79, C/T=78, T/T=14 among patients with cirrhosis not complicated by HCC (p<0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IL-28B rs12979860 C/T polymorphism T allele is more prevalent in patients with viral cirrhosis due to HCV in comparison to other aetiologies and to patients with mild chronic hepatitis C. Among OLT patients, carriage of this allele seems to augment the risk of developing HCC.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine, DPMSC, University of Udine, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fabris
authors.forename: Edmondo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Falleti
authors.forename: Annarosa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cussigh
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bitetto
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fontanini
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bignulin
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cmet
authors.forename: Ezio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fornasiere
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fumolo
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fangazio
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cerutti
authors.forename: Rosalba
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Minisini
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pirisi
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Toniutto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D001483:Base Sequence; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult; D000095022:Interferon Lambda
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins; C000624353:interferon-lambda, human; D000095022:Interferon Lambda