Interleukin 20 Gene Polymorphism (rs1518108) is not Associated with Sustained Virological Response in Iranian Patients with Hepatitis C Virus Infection

METHODS: This case-control study, was performed on 136 blood samples based on 81 patients with chronic HCV genotypes 1 and 3 including 64 SVR positive and 17 negative and 55 healthy individual controls. DNA was isolated from the samples and the frequency of the polymorphism was analyzed using a PCR-RFLP method. Finally, the products were detected on 3.5% agarose gel electrophoresis. RESULTS: The analysis of the data for C/T polymorphism indicated that the CC genotype was found in 19 of 64 patients who achieved SVR, while the TT genotype was detected in 3 patients and SVR was achieved in 2. Finally, heterozygous CT was identified in 53 patients and 10 patients were resistant to treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The results did not support any significant effects of TT or CT genotypes on susceptibility to HCV infection (p = 0.935, OR = 1.031, CI = 0.464 - 2.026). Moreover, there was no significant correlation between SVR to PEG-IFN combined by ribavirin therapy in patients with genotype CC (p = 0.601, OR = 0.736, CI = 0.234 - 2.319).