title: Interleukin 28B rs12979860 single-nucleotide polymorphism predicts spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C virus in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recent genome-wide association studies performed in adults correlated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs rs12979860 and rs8099917) located on chromosome 19, upstream of the interleukin 28B gene, with spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C virus and with response to treatment with paginated interferon and ribavirin. The aim of the present collaborative study was to evaluate the rs12979860 SNP in a large cohort of Italian children with perinatal acquisition of hepatitis C.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children were prospectively enrolled in 2 Italian centers. The interleukin 28B rs12979860 SNP was studied according to the diagnosis of chronic infection or spontaneous clearance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred thirty children (86.7%) with chronic infection and 23 (13.3%) with spontaneous clearance of the virus were enrolled. Overall, the interleukin 28B C/C and C/T-T/T genotypes were found in 57 (37.3%) and 96 (62.7%) children, respectively. The proportion of C/C genotype was higher among children who cleared infection (14/23; 60.9%) compared with children with chronic infection (43/130; 33.1%; P = 0.01; odds ratio 3.15; 90% confidence intervals 1.34-7.53).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study showed that, as already demonstrated in adults, children with the rs12979860 C/C SNP of the interleukin 28B gene have a higher probability of spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C virus.
authors.affiliation: *Pediatric and Liver Unit †Immunology Unit and Laboratory at Meyer Children's University Hospital of Florence ‡Department of Pediatrics, Infectious Diseases Unit, University of Turin, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital, Turin §Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Firenze, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Indolfi
authors.forename: Giusi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mangone
authors.forename: Pier Luigi
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Calvo
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bartolini
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Regoli
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Serranti
authors.forename: Carmelina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Calitri
authors.forename: Pier-Angelo
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Tovo
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Martino
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Azzari
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Resti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics*; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D014766:Viremia / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult; D000095022:Interferon Lambda
chemical_list: D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins; C000624353:interferon-lambda, human; D000095022:Interferon Lambda