IL-28B rs12979860 C/T allele distribution in patients with liver cirrhosis: role in the course of chronic viral hepatitis and the development of HCC

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J Hepatol. 2011 Apr;54(4):716-22. Epub 2010 Sep 19.

IL-28B rs12979860 C/T allele distribution in patients with liver cirrhosis: role

in the course of chronic viral hepatitis and the development of HCC.

Fabris C, Falleti E, Cussigh A, Bitetto D, Fontanini E, Bignulin S, Cmet S,

Fornasiere E, Fumolo E, Fangazio S, Cerutti A, Minisini R, Pirisi M, Toniutto P.

Source

Internal Medicine, DPMSC, University of Udine, Italy.

Abstract

BACKGROUND & AIMS:

A single nucleotide polymorphism (rs12979860 C/T) 3kb upstream of the

interleukin 28B (IL-28B) gene was shown to be associated with hepatitis C

clearance. We verified whether this association also translates into a different

genotype distribution at the end of the disease trajectory.

METHODS:

A RFLP-PCR technique was used to genotype 412 patients with cirrhosis due to

hepatitis C (n=199), hepatitis B (n=75), alcohol (n=110), and other causes

(n=28), of whom 256 underwent liver transplantation (OLT). Hepatocellular

carcinoma (HCC) was demonstrated in the native liver of 85 OLT patients, 52 with

viral cirrhosis, and 33 with non-viral cirrhosis respectively. A group of 292

patients (235 HCV and 57 HBV positive) with mild chronic hepatitis and 344

healthy subjects served as controls.

RESULTS:

A significant difference (p=0.0005) was observed in IL-28B rs12979860 genotype

frequencies between patients with viral cirrhosis (C/C=99, C/T=137, T/T=38) and

those with non-viral cirrhosis (C/C=72, C/T=58, T/T=8). Patients with HCV

related cirrhosis carried more frequently the T/T genotype in comparison to mild

hepatitis C or HBV-related cirrhosis. IL-28B rs12979860 genotype frequencies

were C/C=23, C/T=50, T/T=12 among OLT patients with cirrhosis complicated by

HCC, and C/C=79, C/T=78, T/T=14 among patients with cirrhosis not complicated by

HCC (p<0.005).

CONCLUSIONS:

IL-28B rs12979860 C/T polymorphism T allele is more prevalent in patients with

viral cirrhosis due to HCV in comparison to other aetiologies and to patients

with mild chronic hepatitis C. Among OLT patients, carriage of this allele seems

to augment the risk of developing HCC.

European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by

Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

PMID: 21146242 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]