Hepatitis C

Research from University of Naples in hepatitis C virus therapy provides new insights

"Also, insulin resistance has been implicated in nonresponse to an anti-HCV treatment. To understand why HCV genotype 1 patients respond differently, we investigated SOCS3 gene expression, metabolic syndrome (MS), and the response to therapy in a cohort of patients with HCV-related hepatitis. A total of 198 patients (108 with genotype 1 and 90 with genotype 2) treated with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin were consecutively enrolled in the study. We measured SOCS3 expression in Epstein-Barr virus-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from peripheral lymphocytes of a subset of 130 patients. MS was more frequent in genotype 1 patients than in genotype 2 patients (p <0.01). Nonresponders (p <0.01), MS (p <0.001), and genotype 1 (p <0.001) were significantly related to SOCS3 overexpression. However, SOCS3 levels were higher in nonresponders also, regardless of the genotype (p <0.01). In a univariate analysis, the genotype (p <0.001), age (p <0.001), SOCS3 (p <0.001), and MS (p <0.001) were significantly related to the response to therapy," wrote M. Persico and colleagues, University of Naples.

The researchers concluded: "However, in a multivariate analysis, SOCS3 was the only independent predictor of the response (odds ratio=6.7; p<0.005) We speculate that SOCS3 expression per se may influence the response to antiviral therapy and that the genotype 1b virus might induce its up-regulation. This may account for the different responses to therapy between genotype 1-infected and genotype 2-infected patients."

Persico and colleagues published their study in Hepatology (Suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) expression and hepatitis C virus-related chronic hepatitis: Insulin resistance and response to antiviral therapy. Hepatology, 2007;46(4):1009-15).

For more information, contact M. Persico, Second University of Naples, Internal Medicine and Hepatology Unit, Naples, Italy.

Publisher contact information for the journal Hepatology is: John Wiley & Sons Inc., 111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA.

Keywords: Italy, Naples, Hepatitis C Virus Therapy, Antiviral, Chronic Hepatitis, Drugs, Gastroenterology, HCV, Hepatitis C Virus, Hepatology, Infectious Disease, Insulin, Insulin Resistance, Interferon, Pharmaceuticals, Ribavirin, Treatment, Viral Inhibition, Viral Therapy, Virology.

This article was prepared by Biotech Business Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Biotech Business Week via NewsRx.com.