IL28B Polymorphisms as a Pretreatment Predictor of Response to HCV Treatment

Abstract

SYNOPSIS In recent years, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) all identified polymorphisms located near the gene encoding the interferon-lambda beta subunit (also known as IL28B) that turned out to be the best predictor of response to pegylated interferon plus ribavirin for chronic HCV genotype 1 infection. This association was extended to spontaneous clearance of HCV, suggesting shared mechanisms of both treatment and natural control of this virus. African-Americans were discovered to harbor the favorable …