Hepatic interferon-gamma-induced protein-10 expression is more strongly associated with liver fibrosis than interleukin-28B single nucleotide polymorphisms in hepatocellular carcinoma resected patients with chronic hepatitis C

Aim: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) around IL-28B and interferon (IFN)-stimulated gene (ISG) expression are predictors of response to standard therapy involving IFN for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We analyzed the association between these predictors to improve the prediction of the response to IFN therapy after liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: Data were collected from 74 patients with HCV-induced HCC. The IL-28B genotype and hepatic ISG mRNA levels were analyzed to clarify their association, focusing on the progression of liver fibrosis. Results: Fifty patients were identified as having major alleles (rs8099917TT) and the remaining 24 patients had minor alleles (rs8099917TG or GG). Hepatic ISG15 expression was lower in the IL-28B major group than that in the IL-28B minor group (P<0.005). IP-10 expression was similar between the IL-28B major and minor groups (P=0.44). IP-10 expression was elevated with advancing stages of liver fibrosis in HCV infected patients (P=0.005). In patients with mild or no fibrosis, the IL-28B major group had lower IP-10 expression than the IL-28B minor group (P=0.02). However, in patients with advanced fibrosis, IP-10 expression was not different between the IL-28B major and minor groups (P=0.66). Conclusion: Hepatic ISG15 expression is associated with IL-28B polymorphisms, while IP-10 is strongly affected by liver fibrosis.