A Study of CC-Chemokine Receptor 5 (CCR5) Polymorphism on the Outcome of HCV Therapy in Egyptian Patients.

Background: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a globally serious public health issue.

Objectives: In this study, we investigated CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5-59029) polymorphism which is considered an important component of the immune system in determining the outcome of HCV infection. Its critical role as a marker in response to interferon therapy of HCV infection is also investigated besides its effect on other clinical patient factors.

Relation of interleukin-1β gene to treatment response in chronic patients infected with HCV genotype 4.

Introduction: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection results in chronic hepatitis in more than 70% of infected patients, while 20-30% of patients recover spontaneously. This strengthens the role of the host genetic factors in either spontaneous or drug-induced viral clearance. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between interleukin-1β +3953 gene polymorphism and the response to interferon therapy in chronic HCV patients infected with genotype 4.

Heterogeneity and new epitopes of hepatitis C virus genotype 4.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) was found to have a major role in human liver disease by its ability to face the host-cell defenses and the immune system. Heterogeneity of HCV was the key for its adaptation to its host and represented a significant hurdle for the development of both effective vaccines as well as for novel therapeutic interventions.

Objectives: Due to the heterogeneity of HCV virus because of both high replication and high mutation rate in vivo, this study was conducted to analyze different isolates of Egyptian patients of genotype 4, of the most mutant regions of the virus (E1 and E2) as they played an important role in viral persistence by escaping from the immune system of the host body.

Association between low molecular polypeptide 7 single nucleotide polymorphism and response to therapy in hepatitis C virus infection.

Aim: To investigate the relationship between low molecular polypeptide-7 (LMP-7) gene polymorphism and response to interferon (IFN) therapy in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients.

Methods: LMP-7 polymorphism at codon 49 with nucleotide substitution from A to C was amplified in 104 chronic HCV patients of genotype 4. The amplicons were digested with restriction endonuclease BsmI and the produced restriction fragment length polymorphism was analyzed.