Donor and recipient genotypes of IL28B rs12979860C>T single nucleotide polymorphism were determined in 91 patients with HCV liver graft reinfection, 47 of whom were treated with pegylated interferon-α (PEG-IFN-α) and ribavirin. IL28B genetic polymorphisms were correlated with the natural course and treatment outcome of recurrent hepatitis C.
Patients requiring liver transplantation due to end-stage chronic hepatitis C appeared to be selected toward the adverse genotypes rs12979860 CT/TT compared to non-transplanted HCV-infected patients (p = 0.046). Patients with the donor genotype rs12979860 CC had higher peak ALT and HCV RNA serum concentrations than those with CT/TT (p = 0.04 and 0.06, respectively). No association was observed between ALT/HCV RNA serum concentrations and recipient genotypes (p >0.3). More important, donor IL28B rs12979860 CC vs. CT/TT genotypes were associated with rapid, complete early, and sustained virologic response (RVR, cEVR, SVR) to treatment with PEG-IFN-α and ribavirin (p = 0.003, 0.0012, 0.008, respectively), but weaker associations of recipient genotypes with RVR, cEVR, and SVR were observed as well (p = 0.0046, 0.115, 0.118, respectively).
We provide evidence for a dominant, but not exclusive impact of the donor rather than the recipient IL28B genetic background on the natural course and treatment outcome of HCV liver graft reinfection.