Ex vivo induction of IFN-λ3 by a TLR7 agonist determines response to Peg-IFN/ribavirin therapy in chronic hepatitis C patients.

Background: Genetic variation around interleukin-28B (IL28B), encoding IFN-λ3, predict non-responders to pegylated interferon-α/ribavirin (Peg-IFN/RBV) therapy in chronic hepatitis C (CHC). However, it remains unclear the expression and the role of IL28B itself. The aim of this study is to develop easy and useful methods for the prediction of treatment outcomes.