Abstract
Background. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is involved in the pathogenesis of chronic active hepatitis C. Polymorphisms in the promoter region of the TNF-alpha gene can alter the TNF-alpha expression and modify the host immune response. The present study aimed at the correlation of the G308A TNF-alpha polymorphism with the response to antiviral combination therapy in chronic hepatitis C. Patients and Methods: 62 patients with HCV and 119 healthy unrelated controls were genotyped for the G308A TNF-alpha promoter polymorphism. The patients received 3 x 3 million units of interferon alfa-2a and 1,0001,200 mg ribavirin daily according to their body weight. A response was defined as absence of HCV-RNA and normalization of S-ALT after 6 months of combination therapy. Results:With respect to the allele and genotype frequency, a significant difference was not observed between controls and patients with chronic hepatitis C. Furthermore, such a difference was also not observed if responders and non-responders to antiviral therapy were compared. Conclusions: The promoter polymorphism of the TNF-alpha gene investigated herein is equally distributed in healthy individuals and patients with hepatitis C and does not seem to predict the response to therapy with interferon alfa-2a and ribavirin. Copyright (C) 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel.
| Item Type: | Journal article |
|---|---|
| Form of publication: | Publisher's Version |
| Faculties: | Medicine |
| Subjects: | 600 Technology > 610 Medicine and health |
| URN: | urn:nbn:de:bvb:19-epub-16859-9 |
| ISSN: | 0012-2823 |
| Alliance/National Licence: | This publication is with permission of the rights owner freely accessible due to an Alliance licence and a national licence (funded by the DFG, German Research Foundation) respectively. |
| Language: | English |
| Item ID: | 16859 |
| Date Deposited: | 29. Aug 2013 10:15 |
| Last Modified: | 04. Nov 2020 12:58 |
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