Association between interleukin 10 polymorphisms (-592C/A and - 819 C/T) with response to treatment in Iranian patients with hepatitis C virus

Interleukin-10 gene is an important gene for the hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Polymorphism in the promoter of interleukin 10 (IL-10) may influence the level of interleukin-10 production and also the susceptibility to inflammatory diseases. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the association between the polymorphism of -592C/A and -819 C/T - IL-10 with response to treatment in Iranian patients with HCV.
In this study, 40 patients with HCV (response to treatment), 40 patients unresponsive to treatment and 40 healthy individuals were randomly selected. Genomic DNA was extracted from Buffy coat layer using salting out method.The genotype of -819 (C/T) IL-10 and -592 (C/A) IL-10 were determined by ARMS-PCR. PCR products were electrophoresis on agarose gel 1.2%. Levels of both aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase) ALT (enzyme were determined.
The -592C/A - IL-10 genotype in the group that had respond to the treatment was more than other groups (without response to treatment) and also they were significantly associated with normal levels of AST (24.6 ± 8.5 IU / L) and ALT (28.3 ± 11.7 IU / L) (P = 0.01). Significant differences between groups regarding with polymorphism 819 C/T - IL-10 were not observed. Genotype 819 (T/T) - IL-10 was significantly more (P = 0.02) in the control group and in the group showed respons to treatment with normal levels of AST and ALT.
Most patients with genotype -592C/A - IL-10- had a sustained viral response to treatment. However, further studies are needed to explore in more detail the response to treatment in the patients with -592C/A - IL-10 genotype.