ABSTRACT
AIM: Determination of frequency of occurrence and clinical significance ofinterleukin-28B (IL28B) and RNAse L gene polymorphism in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 104 hospital patients with CHC (65% male; 63% with genotype 1 hepatitis C virus - HCV) were examined. 70 patients received therapy with interferon (IFN) and ribavirin (RBV). Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of IL28B gene 39743165T>G (rs8099917), SNP 39738787C>T (rs12979860) and RNAse Lgene (1385G>A) were determined by polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The frequency of detection of "favorable," SNP allele variants of IL28B gene in patients with CHC was lower than in population of the European region. In patients with genotype 1 HCV, mutant alleles in SNP 39743165T>G (p=0.045) and 39738787C>T (p=0.005) occurred more frequently than in patients with other virus genotypes. Highervalues of alanine aminotransferase in patients with genotype CC 39738787C>T were detected. Frequencies of SNP variants of IL28B and RNAse L gene did not differ depending on the speed of disease progression (p>0.5). Response to IFN/RBV therapy was higher in "favorable" TT (SNP 39743165T>G) and CC (SNP 39738787C>T) variants. CONCLUSION: Examination for IL28B gene SNP 39738787C>T is recommended before the start of IFN/RBV therapy in all the patients with genotype 1 HCV as a prognostic factor on the therapy response. RNAse L gene SNP 1385G>A does not have a clear clinical significance in CHC.
