title: Beneficial IL28B genotype associated with lower frequency of hepatic steatosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  IL28B polymorphisms have been associated with both treatment induced and spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV). We previously found that LDL cholesterol levels were higher in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients with the CC genotype at the rs12979860 polymorphism, located proximal to the IL28 gene. Here we analyzed the association of steatosis with IL28B genotype in treatment naïve patients with CHC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two independent cohorts of 145 genotype 1 infected patients from an antifibrotic study and 180 genotype 1 patients from Duke were analyzed for the presence and severity of steatosis in relation to the rs12979860 polymorphism at the IL28B locus. TaqMan assay based genotyping classified three groups CC, CT, and TT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CC genotype was associated with a lower prevalence of steatosis. In the antifibrotic study, steatosis was found in 47.6% (50/105) of IL28B non-CC vs. 22.5% (9/40; p=0.008) in CC patients. Similarly, steatosis was found in 67.4% (89/132) of non-CC patients compared to only 39.6% (19/48; p=0.001) of CC patients in the Duke cohort.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IL28B CC genotype is associated with less pronounced disturbances of lipid metabolism, as reflected both in serum lipoprotein levels and hepatic steatosis, in HCV infection.
authors.affiliation: Duke Clinical Research Institute and Division of Gastroenterology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27705, USA. hans.tillmann@duke.edu
authors.forename: Hans L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Tillmann
authors.forename: Keyur
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Muir
authors.forename: Cynthia D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Guy
authors.forename: Josephine H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiang Qian
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Lao
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Stephen D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: John G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: McHutchison
authors.forename: Jeanette J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: McCarthy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000235:genetics; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000095022:Interferon Lambda
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins; D008074:Lipoproteins; C000624353:interferon-lambda, human; D000095022:Interferon Lambda