title: Effect of interferon λ3 gene polymorphisms, rs8099917 and rs12979860, on response to hepatitis B virus vaccination and hepatitis B or C virus infections among hemodialysis patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The higher prevalence and risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are still observed in hemodialysis (HD) patients compared with healthy people. Interferons (IFNs) are known for their involvement in immune response. The addition of IFN-λ3 to immunization in animal models was shown to increase the immune response of T helper-1 cells.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We studied whether polymorphisms of the IFN-λ3 gene (IFNL3) might be associated with the development of antibodies to HBV surface antigen [anti-HBs] in response to the HBV vaccination or HBV infection as well as spontaneous resolution of HCV infection in HD patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The HD group consisted of 806 individuals without a history of HBV or HCV infection (of whom 672 developed anti-HBs in response to the HBV vaccination), 241 HBV-infected patients (of whom 186 developed anti-HBs), and 63 HCV-infected patients (including 39 HCV RNA-positive subjects). All patients were genotyped for IFNL3 rs8099917 and rs12979860 polymorphisms using a high-resolution melting curve analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The comparison of responders and nonresponders to HBV vaccination revealed no significant differences in the IFNL3 genotype distribution. In HBV-infected patients, the differences in the distribution of IFNL3 variants between anti-HBs-negative and anti-HBs-positive patients were also nonsignificant. Spontaneous HCV clearance was significantly less common in the carriers of the rs8099917 allele G or rs12979860 allele T, while the CT rs12979860_rs8099917 haplotype was more frequent (P = 0.02) in patients showing spontaneous HCV clearance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In HD patients, the IFNL3 polymorphisms do not affect anti-HBs development in response to HBV infection or vaccination, but might be involved in the resolution of HCV infection.
authors.forename: Alicja E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Grzegorzewska
authors.forename: Elżbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jodłowska
authors.forename: Adrianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mostowska
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jagodziński
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D014611:Vaccination; D055815:Young Adult; D000095022:Interferon Lambda
chemical_list: D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins; C000624353:interferon-lambda, human; D000095022:Interferon Lambda