Hepatitis C virus and the controversial role of the interferon sensitivity determining region in the

[Guest guest]

J Med Virol. 2008 Feb;80(2):247-53.

Hepatitis C virus and the controversial role of the interferon sensitivity

determining region in the response to interferon treatment.

-Puente M, Cuevas JM, Jiménez-Hernández N, Bracho MA, García-Robles I,

Carnicer F, Del Olmo J, Ortega E, Moya A, González-Candelas F.

Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva and Departamento de

Genética, Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.

The degree of variability of the interferon sensitivity determining region

(ISDR) in the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome has been postulated to predict the

response to interferon therapy, mainly in patients infected with subtype 1b,

although this prediction has been the subject of a long controversy. This

prediction has been tested by analyzing a cohort of 67 Spanish patients infected

with HCV genotype 1, 23 of which were infected with subtype 1a and 44 with

subtype 1b. A sample previous to therapy with alpha-interferon plus ribavirin

was obtained and several clones (between 25 and 96) including the ISDR were

sequenced from each patient. A significant correlation between mutations at the

ISDR and response to treatment for subtype 1b patients, but not for those

infected with subtype 1a, has been detected. Although the results suggest that

the same relationship holds true for subtype 1a, lack of statistical power

because of the small sample size of this subtype prevented firmer conclusions.

However, identical ISDR sequences were found in responder and non-responder

patients, suggesting that the stability of the ISDR sequence can occasionally

help HCV to evade interferon therapy, although this is not a sufficient

condition. More complex interactions, including the ISDR or not, are likely to

exist and govern the HCV response to interferon treatment. J. Med. Virol.

80:247-253, 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

PMID: 18098147 [PubMed - in process]

_________________________________________________________________

Get the power of Windows + Web with the new Windows Live.

http://www.windowslive.com?ocid=TXT_TAGHM_Wave2_powerofwindows_122007

[Guest guest]

J Med Virol. 2008 Feb;80(2):247-53.

Hepatitis C virus and the controversial role of the interferon sensitivity

determining region in the response to interferon treatment.

-Puente M, Cuevas JM, Jiménez-Hernández N, Bracho MA, García-Robles I,

Carnicer F, Del Olmo J, Ortega E, Moya A, González-Candelas F.

Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva and Departamento de

Genética, Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.

The degree of variability of the interferon sensitivity determining region

(ISDR) in the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome has been postulated to predict the

response to interferon therapy, mainly in patients infected with subtype 1b,

although this prediction has been the subject of a long controversy. This

prediction has been tested by analyzing a cohort of 67 Spanish patients infected

with HCV genotype 1, 23 of which were infected with subtype 1a and 44 with

subtype 1b. A sample previous to therapy with alpha-interferon plus ribavirin

was obtained and several clones (between 25 and 96) including the ISDR were

sequenced from each patient. A significant correlation between mutations at the

ISDR and response to treatment for subtype 1b patients, but not for those

infected with subtype 1a, has been detected. Although the results suggest that

the same relationship holds true for subtype 1a, lack of statistical power

because of the small sample size of this subtype prevented firmer conclusions.

However, identical ISDR sequences were found in responder and non-responder

patients, suggesting that the stability of the ISDR sequence can occasionally

help HCV to evade interferon therapy, although this is not a sufficient

condition. More complex interactions, including the ISDR or not, are likely to

exist and govern the HCV response to interferon treatment. J. Med. Virol.

80:247-253, 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

PMID: 18098147 [PubMed - in process]

_________________________________________________________________

Get the power of Windows + Web with the new Windows Live.

http://www.windowslive.com?ocid=TXT_TAGHM_Wave2_powerofwindows_122007