PLoS ONE (Jan 2016)

Donor IFNL4 Genotype Is Associated with Early Post-Transplant Fibrosis in Recipients with Hepatitis C.

  • Taylor Aiken,
  • Ari Garber,
  • Dawn Thomas,
  • Nicole Hamon,
  • Rocio Lopez,
  • Rajesh Konjeti,
  • Arthur McCullough,
  • Nizar Zein,
  • John Fung,
  • Medhat Askar,
  • Binu V John

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0166998
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 11
p. e0166998

Abstract

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Early post-transplant hepatic fibrosis is associated with poor outcomes and may be influenced by donor/recipient genetic factors. The rs368234815 IFNL4 polymorphism is related to the previously described IL28B polymorphism, which predicts etiology-independent hepatic fibrosis. The aim of this study was to identify the impact of donor and/or recipient IFNL4 genotype on early fibrosis among patients transplanted for hepatitis C (HCV).Clinical data were collected for 302 consecutive patients transplanted for HCV. 116 patients who had available liver biopsies and donor/recipient DNA were included. 28% of these patients with stage 2 fibrosis or greater were compared to patients without significant post-transplant fibrosis with respect to clinical features as well as donor/recipient IFNL4 genotype.The IFNL4 TT/TT genotype was found in 26.0% of recipients and 38.6% of donors. Patients who developed early post-transplant fibrosis had a 3.45 adjusted odds of having donor IFNL4 TT/TT genotype (p = 0.012). Donor IFNL4 TT/TT genotype also predicted decreased overall survival compared to non-TT/TT genotypes (p = 0.016).Donor IFNL4 TT/TT genotype, a favorable predictor of spontaneous HCV clearance pre-transplant, is associated with increased early post-transplant fibrosis and decreased survival.