Inflammasome Genes' Polymorphisms in Egyptian Chronic Hepatitis C Patients: Influence on Vulnerability to Infection and Response to Treatment.

Chronic inflammation is a pivotal contributor to the liver damage mediated by hepatitis C virus (HCV). The NOD-like receptor, pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is activated by HCV in both hepatocytes and Kupffer cells. The aim of our study was to investigate the association of nine single-nucleotide polymorphisms in four inflammasome genes (NLRP3, CARD8, IL-1, and IL-18) with the susceptibility to HCV infection and outcome of interferon treatment in 201 Egyptian chronic hepatitis C patients and 95 healthy controls.

IL28B rs 12979860 predicts response to treatment in Egyptian hepatitis C virus genotype 4 patients and alpha fetoprotein increases its predictive strength.

To assess the role of IL28B rs 12979860 polymorphism in predicting response to treatment in genotype 4 (G4) Egyptian patients, and to evaluate the role of alpha fetoprotein (AFP) in increasing the predictive strength of IL28B rs 12979860 polymorphism to predict response to treatment. One hundred thirty 7 HCV patients were genotyped for IL28B rs 12979860 by polymerase chain reaction--restriction fragment length polymorphism technique. The presence of the C allele of IL28B rs 12979860 was associated with response to treatment, while the T allele was associated with failure of response to treatment.

Association of IL28B polymorphism with fibrosis, liver inflammation, gender respective natural history of hepatitis C virus in Egyptian patients with genotype 4.

The polymorphism of interleukin 28B (IL28B) rs12979860 is associated with spontaneous and treatment-induced clearance in hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 4 (G4). However, there is no information on its interaction with gender, moreover its association with intrahepatic inflammation in North Africans is not studied and its association with fibrosis in North Africans (especially Egyptians) is controversial. This study aims to explore the association between the minor allele of the IL28B rs12979860 polymorphism with gender, fibrosis and necroinflammation in Egyptian G4 HCV patients.

Interleukin-12B gene polymorphism frequencies in Egyptians and sex-related susceptibility to hepatitis C infection.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major health problem worldwide. Egypt is the country with the highest HCV infection epidemic in the world. Interleukin (IL)-12 is a cytokine that has been shown to have a potent role as an antiviral cytokine.