Hepatitis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Hepatitis, including details on hepatitis a, b, c, causes, symptoms.

Gene expression profiles in hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV coinfection: class prediction analyses before treatment predict the outcome of anti-HCV therapy among HIV-coinfected persons.

Lempicki RA, Polis MA, Yang J, McLaughlin M, Koratich C, Huang DW, Fullmer B, Wu L, Rehm CA, Masur H, Lane HC, Sherman KE, Fauci AS, Kottilil S

Science Applications International Program (SAIC)-Frederick, Inc., National Cancer Institute-Frederick, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland, USA.

Therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients results in modest cure rates. Gene expression patterns in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 29 patients coinfected with HIV and HCV were used to predict virological response to therapy for HCV infection. Prediction analysis using pretherapy samples identified 79 genes that correctly classified all 10 patients who did not respond to therapy, 8 of 10 patients with a response at the end of treatment, and 7 of 9 patients with sustained virological response (86% overall). Analysis of 17 posttreatment samples identified 105 genes that correctly classified all 9 patients with response at the end of treatment and 7 of 8 patients with sustained virological response (94% overall). Failure of anti-HCV therapy was associated with elevated expression of interferon-stimulated genes. Gene expression patterns may provide a tool to predict anti-HCV therapeutic response.

Published 17 March 2006 in J Infect Dis, 193(8): 1172-7.
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