title: Genetic variation in BCL-2 and response to interferon in hepatitis C virus type 4 patients.
abstract: The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection varies across the world, with the highest number of infections reported in Egypt. BCL-2 gene polymorphism at codon 43 (127G/A) has been found to be a reliable and sensitive marker for the prediction of response to interferon therapy during viral infections. This study examined the correlation of BCL-2 gene polymorphism with the response to treatment with pegylated-IFN-alfa2b and ribavirin. Eighty patients with type 4 HCV and 40 healthy volunteers as controls were enrolled in a prospective study. Quantification of HCV-RNA by real-time PCR was performed for every patient, and gene polymorphism of BCL-2 (ala 43 Thr) was performed for all patients and controls. There was a statistically significant difference between non-responder patients and control group as regards the 43 Thr genotype and allele (P<0.05). Also, there was a statistically significant difference between responders and non-responders (P<0.05) as regards 43 Thr genotype and alleles. We conclude that BCL-2 gene polymorphism at codon 43 (127G/A) is a new biological marker to potentially identify responders and non-responders of HCV genotype 4 patients to achieving a sustained virological response to treatment with IFN in combination with ribavirin.
authors.affiliation: Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt. olfatshaker@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Olfat G
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Shaker
authors.forename: Emad F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Eskander
authors.forename: Shaymaa M M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Yahya
authors.forename: Mervat S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: Ahmed A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Abd-Rabou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b