Hepatitis B Virus Genotype B and High Expression of Interferon Alpha Receptor β Subunit are Associated With Better Response to Pegylated Interferon Alpha 2a in Chinese Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B Infection

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of leading causes of various hepatic diseases including acute and chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Hundreds of million people worldwide are infected by HBV, chronically.Objectives: This study in conducted to investigate the in uence of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes and type I IFN-αreceptor β subunit (IFNAR2) expression in liver on response to treatment with pegylated IFN-α-2a (Peg-IFN-α-2a) for chronic hepatitis B infection.Patients and Methods: In this study, 65 eligible patients with chronic hepatitis B disease were enrolled. HBV genotypes of these patients were analyzed by using PCR-RFLP of the surface gene of HBV. The expression of IFNAR2 in the liver was immune histochemically investigated using anti-IFNAR2 antibody. All immune histochemical slides were read semi-quantitatively by image analysis. Chronic hepatitis B patients were treated with Peg-IFN-α2a therapy for a 48-week period and followed up for 24 weeks. Baseline characteristics and sustained viral response (SVR) to Peg-IFN-α-2a therapy were evaluated.Results: 55 % of patients exhibited HBV genotype B and 31.7 % patients exhibited HBV genotypes C infections. After treatment with Peg-IFN-α-2a, SVR was achieved in 66.7 % of patients with HBV genotype B and in 26.3 % of patients with HBV genotype C (P = 0.009). Semiquantitative and the image analysis indicated by gray level values revealed a higher IFNAR2 expression in the group with severe in ammation (P < 0.001). Patients’ high IFNAR2 protein expression had a signi cant impact on SVR to Peg-IFN-α-2a therapy (P = 0.028).Conclusions: HBV genotype B and high expression of IFNAR2 in the liver of chronic hepatitis B patients are closely associated with better response to Peg-IFN-α-2a therapy in chronic hepatitis B disease.