title: Is interleukin-10 gene polymorphism a predictive marker in HCV infection?
abstract: The clinical outcome of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection varies between individuals - from spontaneous viral clearance and persistence without complication, to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Also patterns of response to interferon-based anti-HCV therapy are different from person to person. This diversity may be affected by host genetic factors, including alterations in genes encoding cytokines. Interleukin-10, as an anti-inflammatory cytokine and immune response modulator, may influence on HCV infection susceptibility as well as spontaneous and treatment-induced HCV eradication. Moreover, it is stated that IL-10 has antifibrotic properties and play a role in progression of liver disease. This review summarized studies on interleukin-10 gene polymorphisms (mainly promoter SNPs at positions -1082(G/A), -819(C/T) and -592(C/A)), which may determine IL-10 production, regarding susceptibility to HCV infection, course of HCV-related liver disease (fibrosis, cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, ALT abnormalities), spontaneous viral elimination as well as hepatitis C treatment outcomes. Analysis of hereby summarized studies shows that it is difficult to unambiguously determine the importance of IL-10 polymorphism as a predictor of clinical outcome of hepatitis C and response to anti-HCV therapy before its beginning. Thus, future larger studies need to address these issues. Continuation of studies on interleukin-10 polymorphisms as well as identification of other candidate predictive markers in HCV infection has important practical implications and there is a chance that may contribute to reduce the scale of hepatitis C problem.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland. bogna.swiatek@wp.pl
authors.forename: Bogna J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Swiątek
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000502:physiology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000502:physiology; D011379:Prognosis; D019562:Viral Load / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016753:Interleukin-10