title: Impact of hepatitis C virus heterogeneity on interferon sensitivity: an overview.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of liver disease worldwide. HCV is able to evade host defense mechanisms, including both innate and acquired immune responses, to establish persistent infection, which results in a broad spectrum of pathogenicity, such as lipid and glucose metabolism disorders and hepatocellular carcinoma development. The HCV genome is characterized by a high degree of genetic diversity, which can be associated with viral sensitivity or resistance (reflected by different virological responses) to interferon (IFN)-based therapy. In this regard, it is of importance to note that polymorphisms in certain HCV genomic regions have shown a close correlation with treatment outcome. In particular, among the HCV proteins, the core and nonstructural proteins (NS) 5A have been extensively studied for their correlation with responses to IFN-based treatment. This review aims to cover updated information on the impact of major HCV genetic factors, including HCV genotype, mutations in amino acids 70 and 91 of the core protein and sequence heterogeneity in the IFN sensitivity-determining region and IFN/ribavirin resistance-determining region of NS5A, on virological responses to IFN-based therapy.
authors: Ahmed El-Shamy, Hak Hotta, Division of Microbiology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe 650-0017, Japan.
authors: Ahmed
authors: A
authors: El-Shamy
authors: Ahmed El-Shamy, Hak Hotta, Division of Microbiology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe 650-0017, Japan.
authors: Hak
authors: H
authors: Hotta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007372:Interferons; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; C084422:NS3 protein, hepatitis C virus; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases; C091015:glycoprotein E2, Hepatitis C virus; C087036:NS-5 protein, hepatitis C virus; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase
keywords: Core protein; Genotype; Hepatitis C virus; Interferon; Interferon sensitivity-determining region; Interferon/ribavirin resistance-determining region; Nonstructural proteins 5A