title: Suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of hepatitis C genotype 1 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  While new direct-acting antiviral therapies for hepatitis C virus (HCV) are the standard of care, interferon-α (IFN-α) remains a standard therapy in Taiwan based on its low cost and high response rate to IFN-α-based therapy. IFN-α exerts antiviral activity by inducing the expression of hundreds of genes that establish an antiviral state via Jak kinase (JAK)/signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) signaling. We quantified the transcript levels of JAK/STAT signaling genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of HCV genotype 1 patients and estimated the correlation between transcript levels and patient responses to IFN-α-based therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 100 HCV genotype 1 naïve patients were enrolled. All patients received response-guided therapy for 24-48 weeks with pegylated IFN-α and ribavirin. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were collected before treatment. Twenty patients with sustained virological responses (SVR) and 20 patients without SVR were selected for a JAK/STAT signaling genes transcript analysis using multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Transcripts that were upregulated or downregulated were further validated in 100 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) expression was upregulated in SVR patients compared with non-SVR patients (relative quantification = 2.14) based on a multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis. We further analyzed SOCS1 expression in 100 patients. We found that SOCS1 expression did not differ significantly between SVR and non-SVR patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Peripheral blood SOCS1 expression before treatment was not associated with SVR in HCV genotype 1 patients treated with pegylated IFN-α and ribavirin.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chuan-Mo
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tsung-Hui
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Sheng-Nan
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jing-Houng
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chao-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chien-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Electronic address: cassellyen@yahoo.com.tw.
authors.forename: Yi-Hao
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Yen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053612:Janus Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D000071222:Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 1 Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013624:Taiwan; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; C108944:SOCS1 protein, human; D000071222:Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 1 Protein; D012254:Ribavirin; D053612:Janus Kinases
keywords: JAK/STAT signaling; genotype 1; hepatitis C virus; interferon-α; suppressor of cytokine signaling 1