engleski

Interleukin-1β gene promoter polymorphism is associated with higher liver fibrosis progression rate in chronic hepatitis C patients with biochemically active disease

Genetic polymorphisms of immune response mediators have been associated with differences in the natural course of chronic hepatitis C (CHC). The aim of this study was to analyze the association of IL-1β gene polymorphism with the stage of liver fibrosis, level of necroinflammatory activity (NIA) and fibrosis progression rate (FPR) in CHC patients. The study included 50 untreated CHC patients (36 male and 14 female, age median 37, 5 years) with elevated ALT level. Diallele polymorphism (C/T) at locus -31 in the IL-1β gene promoter region was determined by the method of PCR-RFLP. Results: There was no difference in the stage of liver fibrosis and NIAlevel between particular patient genotypes. However, patients with at least 1 C allele at locus -31 showed a significantly faster FPR than those with no C allele (0, 4 vs. 0, 258 Ishak`s units/year ; p=0, 043). Higher stages of fibrosis were observed in older patients (p=0, 001) and those infected at an older age (p=0, 017). The FPR was highest by the age of 30 and after the age of 40. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that carriage of at least 1 C allele at locus -31 in the promoter region of IL-1β gene led to faster progression of liver fibrosis in CHC patients with biochemically active disease, but did not determine the final stage of fibrosis development. Combined with other risk factors, this finding may serve as a genetic marker to identify those patients that require earlier introduction of therapy, since any delay could hamper therapeutic success due to rapid disease progression.

Interleukin 1β; Hepatitis C; Liver fibrosis

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