Secreted Phosphoprotein 1 Promoter Genetic Variants Are Associated with the Response to Pegylated Interferon alpha Plus Ribavirin Combination Therapy in Egyptian Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The T-helper 1 (TH1) immune reaction is essential for the eradication of hepatitis C virus (HCV) during pegylated interferon alpha (PEG-IFN-alpha)- and ribavirin (RBV)-based therapy in chronic HCV patients. Secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) was shown to be a crucial cytokine for the initiation of a TH1 immune response. We aimed to investigate whether SPP1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may influence sustained virological response (SVR) rates. METHODS: Two SNPs in the promoter region of SPP1 at the -443 C>T and -1748 G>A loci were genotyped in 100 patients with chronic HCV genotype 4 infection using a TaqMan SNP genotyping assay. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients achieved a SVR, and 33 patients showed no SVR. Patients carrying the T/T genotype at the -443 locus showed a significantly higher SVR rate than those carrying the C/T or C/C genotype (83.67% vs 50.98%, pT and -1748 G>A loci may be useful markers for predicting the response to PEG-IFN-alpha-2b plus RBV therapy in Egyptian patients with chronic HCV genotype 4 infection.