Genetic variation in IL28B and treatment outcome in HBeAg-positive and -negative chronic hepatitis B patients treated with Peg interferon alfa-2a and adefovir

Abstract

In a cohort of 95 chronic hepatitis B patients, who were treated with peg-interferon and adefovir for 1 year, and who had 15% HBsAg loss (overall), no association was found between IL28B polymorphisms and HBeAg seroconversion or HBsAg clearance. These findings suggest that any association with outcome, if present, is less than that seen in chronic hepatitis C. Additional studies are needed to enlarge sample size and to refine our understanding of IL28B biology in the context of chronic hepatitis B response to immunomodulatory and direct antiviral therapy.

Key Words::

• chronic hepatitis B
• HBsAg clearance
• hepatitis B virus
• IL28B
• rs12979860 polymorphism

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the Clinical Research Unit (Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands) for statistical support. We would like to thank Vincent Rijckborst and Harry Janssen from the Erasmus Medical Center (University of Rotterdam, The Netherlands) for clinical support. Involvement with the manuscript: A. de Niet did the analysis and interpretation of the data and wrote the article. R. B. Takkenberg assisted with writing the article an analyzing the data. R. Benayed, B. Riley-Gillis generated data. C. J. Weegink, and P. L. M. Jansen gave critical comments on the manuscript. H. L. Zaaijer, M. Koot and M. G. H. M. Beld gave technical support and generated data. U. Lopatin and H. W. Reesink gave critical comments on the manuscript for important intellectual content, H. W. Reesink designed and supervised the study. Grant support and trial design: This study was sponsored by Roche and designed by H. W. Reesink. Previous presentation: This work has been previously presented as a late breaker abstract on the AASLD 2010, Boston, Massachusetts (Hepatology, volume 5, number 4 (SUPPL)- October 2010, LB-21, page 885A).

Declaration of interest: H.W. Reesink receives grants and/or consults for Roche, Merck, Gilead, PRA-International, Janssen-Cilag, GlaxoSmithKline, Astex, Galapagos, Anadys, Santaris, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Idenix and The Royal Institute of Tropical Medicine, U. Lopatin was employed at Translational Medicine Virology, Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED), Roche Pharmaceuticals (current affiliation Gilead Sciences, Liver Disease Therapeutic Area, Foster City, CA. R. Benayed and B. Riley-Gillis are employees at Translational Medicine Virology, Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED), Roche Pharmaceuticals. For A. de Niet, R.B. Takkenberg, C.J. Weegink H.L. Zaaijer, M. Koot, P.L.M. Jansen and M.G.H.M. Beld no conflicts of interest exist.