Pegylated interferon monotherapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C with low viremia and its relationship to mutations in the NS5A region and the single nucleotide polymorphism of interleukin‐28B

Abstract

The ISDR is significantly associated with a good response to PEG IFN monotherapy in patients with low HCV levels.

Association of interleukin 28B polymorphism and mutations in the NS5A region of hepatitis C virus genotype 2 with interferon responsiveness

“…The sequences of the HC‐J6 strain for genotype 2a and the HC‐J8 strain for genotype 2b were defined as the consensus sequence, and the approach of counting the number of mutations to the chosen consensus sequence in the ISDR (aa 2193–2228) was used to analyze the ISDR system, as in previous reports . The number of NS5A‐ISDR mutations, RVR, and SVR were shown in Figure .…”

“…The amino acid substitutions in the NS5A region have been named the ISDR and is likely to be an important factor determining the response to IFN treatment . Accordingly, some reports have confirmed these results in patients with genotype 2 who received standard IFN or PEG‐IFN monotherapy or ribavirin combination therapy …”

“…Genotypes were classified according to the nomenclature proposed by Simmonds et al . Nested PCR analysis and direct sequencing of the NS5A‐ISDR were performed as previously reported for each genotype …”

“…Detection of the SNP of IL28B (rs8099917) was performed by a real‐time PCR system as previously reported . In brief, genomic DNA was extracted from 150 μL of whole blood using a commercial kit (QIAamp DNA Blood Mini Kit, Qiagen) and dissolved in 50‐μL diethylpyrocarbonate‐treated water.…”