Relation of interleukin-1β gene to treatment response in chronic patients infected with HCV genotype 4.
BACKGROUND
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection results in chronic hepatitis in more than 70% of infected patients, while 20-30% of patients recover spontaneously. This strengthens the role of the host genetic factors in either spontaneous or drug-induced viral clearance. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between interleukin-1β +3953 gene polymorphism and the response to interferon therapy in chronic HCV patients infected with genotype 4.


METHODS
The interleukin-1β (+3953 C/T) (rs1143634) gene was amplified in 115 chronic HCV patients. Interleukin-1β single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) plus several clinical and pathological factors were statistically analyzed in correlation with response to therapy.


RESULTS
Genotypes C/T and T/T had a significant association with non-response to treatment compared to genotype C/C, which had a strong association with response to treatment (95% confidence; 6.4884-48.5818, p = 0.0001). Furthermore, analysis of allele frequency in this cohort revealed that the T allele is associated with non-response, higher fibrosis, and higher hepatic activity, while the C allele had a significant association with sustained virologic response lower fibrosis, and lower hepatic activity (p value = 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first study to examine the correlation between interleukin-1β (+3953 C/T) (rs1143634) gene polymorphism and the response of interferon therapy in genotype 4 HCV-infected patients. The results encourage further assessment of this SNP as a marker to predict response to therapy and disease progression, which can have major implications in saving money, time, and in avoiding unnecessary adverse effects.
Genetic Engineering Division, National Research Centre, Dokki-Cairo, Egypt. moataza13@yahoo.com.
Moataza H
MH
Omran
Noha E
NE
Ibrahim
Samar S
SS
Youssef
Basma E
BE
Fatouh
Wael
W
Nabil
Magdy M
MM
El-Shami
Mostafa K
MK
El Awady
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D007372:Interferons