Response to combination therapy with interferon alfa-2a and ribavirin in chronic hepatitis C according to a TNF-alpha promoter polymorphism

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.