Associations between responses to interferon therapy and genetic variation in interleukin‐28B and the core region of hepatitis C virus genotype 3a. Issue 8 (23rd April 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yamada, Keiichi; Ishigami, Masatoshi; Kuzuya, Teiji; Honda, Takashi; Hayashi, Kazuhiko; Goto, Hidemi
• Is Part Of: Journal of medical virology. Volume 87:Issue 8(2015:Aug.)
• Page Start: 1361
• Page End: 1367
• Publication Date: 2015-04-23
• Subjects: Virology -- Periodicals; 616
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.24084
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0146-6615

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="jmv24084-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <p>The single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of interleukin‐28B (IL‐28B) and mutations in the core region of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1b have been associated with response to interferon (IFN) therapy. However, whether this IL‐28B SNP affects responses to INF therapy for HCV genotype 3a is not known. The aim of this study is to investigate whether this IL‐28B SNP (rs8099917) and specific missense mutations in the HCV core region affect the response to IFN therapy for HCV genotype 3a. Patients (n = 19; median age 44.5) infected with HCV genotype 3a who received IFN therapy were studied. Of the 19 patients, 12 (63.1%) achieved sustained virological response. Of those 12 patients, 11 had the TT genotype (11/16; 68.7%), and one had the TG genotype (1/3; 33.3%). The difference in the sustained virological response rate between IL‐28B genotype groups was not significant (<italic>P</italic> = 0.5232). HCV core region was well conserved; however, polymorphisms at position 72 were identified. Of the 19 HCV samples; 15 carried a glutamic acid at position 72, and these were defined as E type; the others (4/19) were defined as non‐E type. Notably, there was a significant difference in the sustained virological response rate between E type and non‐E‐type; 12 of the 15 patients with E‐type achieved sustained virological response, but none of the four patients with non‐E‐type achieved sustained virological response (<italic>P</italic> = 0.009). A glutamic acid at position 72 in the core region of HCV genotype 3a was associated with a good response to IFN therapy. <bold><italic>J. Med. Virol. 87:1361–1367, 2015</italic>.</bold> © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</p> </sec> </abstract>