Quantitative analysis of interferon alpha receptor subunit 1 and suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 gene transcription in blood cells of patients with chronic hepatitis C

Ifnar1 transcription increased significantly in HCV-infected patients either untreated (3.26 ± 0.31), responders (3.1 ± 0.23) and non-responders (2.18 ± 0.23) with respect to non-infected individuals (1 ± 0.34; P = 0.005). Ifnar1 transcription increased significantly (P = 0.003) in patients infected with HCV genotypes 1a (4.74 ± 0.25) and 1b (2.81 ± 0.25) but not in 1a1b (1.58 ± 0.21). No association was found of Ifnar1 transcription with disease progress, initial viral load or other clinical factors. With respect to socs1 transcription, values were similar for non-infected individuals (1 ± 0.28) and untreated patients (0.99 ± 0.41) but increased in responders (2.81 ± 0.17) and non-responder patients (1.67 ± 0.41). Difference between responder and non-responder patients was not statistically significant. Socs1 transcription increased in patients infected with HCV genotypes 1a and 1b (2.87 ± 0.45 and 2.22 ± 0.17, respectively) but not in 1a1b (1.28 ± 0.40). Socs1 transcript was absent in three patients infected with HCV genotype 1b. A weak correlation between ifnar1 and socs1 transcription was found, when Spearman's correlation coefficient was calculated.Our results suggest that HCV infection may up-regulate ifnar1 transcription. HCV genotypes differ in their capacity to affect ifnar1 and socs1 transcription, as well as in the ability to evade the antiviral response.Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a public health concern worldwide and a major cause of chronic liver inflammation, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) [1]. In Mexico, the prevalence of HCV is ~1.4% in the open population and 35% in patients with active hepatitis [2].HCV is a single-stranded positive RNA virus that codes for a precursor polyprotein, which is processed into 10 active proteins: C, P7, E1, E2, NS2, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, NS5A and NS5B. Due to high genetic diversity, HCV is classified according to several genotypes and subtypes, which differ in geographic distribution, virulence and sensitivity