title: Association between hepatic steatosis and hepatic expression of genes involved in innate immunity in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the association between hepatic steatosis and hepatic expression of genes involved in innate immunity, both of which are reportedly associated with resistance to peginterferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin combination therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 122 patients infected with HCV genotype 1b who underwent and completed PEG-IFN and ribavirin combination therapy were studied. Hepatic steatosis was evaluated on the basis of the liver specimen biopsied prior to antiviral therapy. The levels of mRNA of innate immunity genes (RIG-I, MDA5, LGP2, Cardif, RNF125, ISG15, and USP18) were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction in RNA extracted from biopsied liver tissue and compared between patients with and without hepatic steatosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of patients with hepatic steatosis, the hepatic expression levels of RIG-I gene, and RIG-I/Cardif and RIG-I/RNF125 ratios were significantly higher in patients in whom serum HCV RNA did not disappear throughout the treatment period. Hepatic expression of RIG-I and the ratios of RIG-I/Cardif and RIG-I/RNF125 were significantly higher in patients with steatosis than those without.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Changes in hepatic expression of some genes involved in innate immunity were observed along with hepatic steatosis, possibly playing a mechanistic role in resistance to IFN-based therapy in patients with hepatic steatosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ogaki Municipal Hospital, 4-86 Minaminokawa, Ogaki, Gifu 503-8502, Japan. hmtoyoda@spice.ocn.ne.jp
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Toyoda
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kumada
authors.forename: Seiki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kiriyama
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanikawa
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hisanaga
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kanamori
authors.forename: Toshifumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tada
authors.forename: Shusuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kitabatake
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Murakami
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000071457:DEAD Box Protein 58; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008099:Liver; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; C505371:MAVS protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C551868:RNF125 protein, human; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases; C452820:RIGI protein, human; D000071457:DEAD Box Protein 58; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b