Impact of IL28B Polymorphism on the Response to Treatment of Hepatitis C with Interferon Based Therapy or Direct Acting Antivirals

Authors

The Department of Endemic Medicine* & Biochemistry**, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University and Department of Endemic Medicine***, National Hepatology & Tropical Medicine Research Institute (NHTMRI), Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

Abstract Background: A major impact of the IL28B gene polymor-phism on the response to antiviral therapy in chronic hepatitis C have been described recently by a lot of studies. This study aims to scrutinize the impact of IL28B genotypes of donors and recipients on the response to treatment with INF based therapy or DAA among patients that underwent liver trans-plantation. Aim of Study: This study aims to correlate IL28B genotype of donors and recipients for patients that had undergone liver transplantation with the response to INF based therapy, and the response to Direct Acting Antivirals (DAA). Patients and Methods: Donor and recipient IL28B geno-typing by PCR was done for 24 patients who experienced LT for HCV-induced end stage liver disease with established standard follow up evaluations post liver transplant for two years. Pegylated interferon-a (PEG-IFN-a) and ribavirin were received by 10 of the patients and direct acting antiviral (DAA) agents were offered to the remaining 14 patients. Results: We found that there was no impact of IL 28B polymorphism on the response to anti viral treatment (AVT) by (DAA) agents, as all different IL 28B genotypes and different recipient/donor patterns eventually achieved SVR even in cases with two unfavorable non-CC genotypes in both recipients and donors. We also found that the donor rs 12979860 CC genotype was strongly associated with the success of PEG-IFN-a and ribavirin treatment of recurrent hepatitis C. Conclusions: In the era of DAAs, it seems likely that it will be possible to overcome the effect of IL28B polymorphism with DAAs combinations.

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