Genetic variation in IL28B (IFNL3) and response to interferon-alpha treatment in myeloproliferative neoplasms.

Objective: In myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), interferon-alpha (IFN-α) is an effective treatment with disease-modifying properties but currently with no clear predictors of treatment outcome. Recent genomewide association studies in chronic hepatitis C have found a strong influence of genetic polymorphism near the IL28B (IFNL3) gene in response to IFN-α treatment. In this study, we sought to evaluate the prognostic impact of IL28B rs12979860, rs8099917, and rs12980275 on IFN-α treatment response in myeloproliferative neoplasms.

Method: We retrospectively evaluated 100 patients with MPN treated with IFN-α. The hematologic treatment response on IFN-α was compared between patients and correlated with host genetic variations in IL28B. The genotypes of IL28B were determined by allelic discrimination assays.

Results: The CC genotype of rs12979860 was found significantly associated with hematologic response in polycythemia vera (PV) with a complete response (CR) in 79% (CC) compared to 48% (non-CC), (P = .036). No association between the genotypes and treatment response on hydroxyurea was found.

Conclusion: These results imply an effect of IL28B genotype on the outcome of IFN-α treatment in MPN.