BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Host genetic factors may affect clinical outcomes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection; however, the possible mechanisms remain largely unknown. The role of immunopathogenesis in chronic hepatitis C leads to extensive exploration of host immunity including inflammatory cytokines. METHODS: We examined interleukin 10 (IL-10) promoter gene polymorphisms at positions -1082, -819, and -592 relative to transcription start site and studied their association with response to 24 weeks of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin treatment in 143 chronic hepatitis C patients, of whom 97 (67.8%) achieved a sustained virologic response (SVR). In addition, 134 healthy adults were used as controls. RESULTS: Of chronic hepatitis C patients, 111 (77.6%) were genotype 1 infection, 32 (22.4%) were genotype 2 infection. Patients with sustained virologic response were younger and had higher pretreatment ALT levels than those without. No statistical difference was found between chronic hepatitis C patients who achieved SVR or not in terms of gender, HCV genotype, pretreatment HCV RNA levels, and severity of liver disease. The serum IL-10 levels were comparable between healthy controls and chronic hepatitis C patients as well as between HCV patients with and without SVR. The distribution of IL-10 promoter gene polymorphisms at positions -1082, -819, and -592 relative to transcription start site was comparable between HCV patients and healthy controls as well as HCV patients with and without SVR. A high frequency of ATA haplotype of common IL-10 promoter gene SNPs was found in both chronic hepatitis C patients (70.3%) and healthy controls (69.8%). However, ATA haplotype was not associated with SVR in chronic hepatitis C patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our data fail to demonstrate the influence of IL-10 promoter gene polymorphisms on the response to combination therapy in Taiwanese chronic hepatitis C patients. The impact of genetic variations in IL-10 haplotype on the response to anti-HCV treatment among different ethnic populations deserves further examination.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Host genetic factors may affect clinical outcomes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection; however, the possible mechanisms remain largely unknown. The role of immunopathogenesis in chronic hepatitis C leads to extensive exploration of host immunity including inflammatory cytokines. METHODS: We examined interleukin 10 (IL-10) promoter gene polymorphisms at positions -1082, -819, and -592 relative to transcription start site and studied their association with response to 24 weeks of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin treatment in 143 chronic hepatitis Cpatients, of whom 97 (67.8%) achieved a sustained virologic response (SVR). In addition, 134 healthy adults were used as controls. RESULTS: Of chronic hepatitis Cpatients, 111 (77.6%) were genotype 1 infection, 32 (22.4%) were genotype 2 infection. Patients with sustained virologic response were younger and had higher pretreatment ALT levels than those without. No statistical difference was found between chronic hepatitis Cpatients who achieved SVR or not in terms of gender, HCV genotype, pretreatment HCV RNA levels, and severity of liver disease. The serum IL-10 levels were comparable between healthy controls and chronic hepatitis Cpatients as well as between HCVpatients with and without SVR. The distribution of IL-10 promoter gene polymorphisms at positions -1082, -819, and -592 relative to transcription start site was comparable between HCVpatients and healthy controls as well as HCVpatients with and without SVR. A high frequency of ATA haplotype of common IL-10 promoter gene SNPs was found in both chronic hepatitis Cpatients (70.3%) and healthy controls (69.8%). However, ATA haplotype was not associated with SVR in chronic hepatitis Cpatients. CONCLUSIONS: Our data fail to demonstrate the influence of IL-10 promoter gene polymorphisms on the response to combination therapy in Taiwanese chronic hepatitis Cpatients. The impact of genetic variations in IL-10 haplotype on the response to anti-HCV treatment among different ethnic populations deserves further examination.
Authors: Nathan Ford; Catherine Kirby; Kasha Singh; Edward J Mills; Graham Cooke; Adeeba Kamarulzaman; Philipp duCros Journal: Bull World Health Organ Date: 2012-02-03 Impact factor: 9.408