title: Single Nucleotide Polymorphism of Interferon Lambda-4 Gene is not Associated with Treatment Response to Pegylated Interferon in Thai Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B.
abstract: The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) ss469415590 in the interferon lambda-4 (IFNL4) gene has recently been reported to have an association with treatment response in chronic hepatitis C. However, any importance of the SNP in association with response to pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is unclear. We retrospectively analyzed data for Thai patients with CHB treated with PEG-IFN for 48 weeks. Virological response (VR) for HBeAg-positive CHB was defined as HBeAg seroconversion plus HBV DNA level<2,000 IU/mL at 24 weeks post-treatment. VR for HBeAg-negative CHB was defined as an HBV DNA level<2,000 IU/mL at 48 weeks. The SNP was identified by real time PCR using the TaqMan genotyping assay with MGB probes. A total 254 patients (107 HBeAg-positive and 147 HBeAg-negative) were enrolled in the study. The distribution of TT/TT, ΔG/TT and ΔG/ΔG genotypes was 221 (87.0%), 32 (12.6%) and 1 (0.4%), respectively. Patients with non-TT/TT genotypes had significantly higher baseline HBV DNA levels than patients with the TT/TT genotype. In HBeAg-positive CHB, 41.2% of patients with TT/TT genotype versus 50.0% with non-TT/TT genotype achieved VR (P=0.593). In HBeAg-negative CHB, the corresponding figures were 40.3% and 43.5%, respectively (P=0.777). There was no significant correlation between the SNP genotypes and HBsAg clearance in both groups of patients. In summary, ss469415590 genotypes were not associated with response to PEG-IFN in Thai patients with HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative CHB.
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand E-mail : pisittkvn@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Umaporn
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Limothai
authors.forename: Rujipat
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wasitthankasem
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Poovorawan
authors.forename: Pisit
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tangkijvanich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D011379:Prognosis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000095022:Interferon Lambda
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007378:Interleukins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C579163:IFNL4 protein, human; D000095022:Interferon Lambda; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a