IFNL4 ss469415590 Variant Is Associated with Treatment Response in Japanese HCV Genotype 1 Infected Individuals...

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Virology
• Genetics

Background:

• Hepatitis C virus (HCV) eradication remains challenging despite direct-acting antiviral (DAA) availability.
• Interferon (IFN)-based regimens are still used, necessitating predictive markers for treatment success.
• The IFNL4 protein is involved in human antiviral defense, and its genetic variants may influence treatment outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the predictive role of the IFNL4 ss469415590 variant in sustained virological response (SVR) for HCV genotype 1 patients.
• To evaluate the impact of this variant in combination with other factors on treatment outcomes.
• To assess the utility of IFNL4 ss469415590 genotyping in the era of DAAs for IFN-including regimens.

Main Methods:

• Genotyping of the IFNL4 ss469415590 variant in 185 Japanese patients with HCV genotype 1.
• Retrospective analysis of treatment response in patients receiving pegylated interferon (peg-IFN) plus ribavirin, with or without telaprevir.
• Statistical evaluation of the IFNL4 variant, HCV viral load, and early virological response as predictors of SVR.

Main Results:

• The IFNL4 ss469415590 genotypes were distributed as TT/TT (65.7%), TT/-G (31.5%), and -G/-G (2.8%).
• SVR rates were 82.1% with telaprevir and 49.3% without telaprevir.
• The IFNL4 ss469415590 variant, in conjunction with HCV viral load or early virological response, demonstrated predictive value for SVR.

Conclusions:

• The IFNL4 ss469415590 variant is a significant predictor of SVR in Japanese patients with HCV genotype 1 treated with IFN-including regimens.
• Measuring this genetic variant can assist in predicting treatment outcomes, even in the current DAA era.
• This finding supports personalized medicine approaches for HCV treatment stratification.