Analysis of Gene Expression in HCV-Infected Liver: Identification of Genes Associated with Responsiveness to Pegylated Interferon and Ribavirin therapy

Investigators:

Co-Investigators, HALT-C: Timothy Morgan; Herb Bonkovsky; Jules Dienstag; Raymond Chung

Co-Investigators, NCI Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics: Mingdong Zhang, Abhijit Dasgupta; Thomas O'Brien

Co-Investigators, NCI Viral Epidemiology Laboratory SAIC: Denise Whitby; Chiuchin Yuan

Consultants, NCI Biostatistics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics: Sholom Wacholder

Consultants, NCI Laboratory of Genomic Diversity, Center for Cancer Research: Michael Dean; Mary Carrington

Hypotheses/Aims

This study will test the hypothesis that expression of Th1-like cytokine genes is associated with non-response to pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy. We also propose to explore the entire human genome to identify other hepatic gene transcripts that may be associated with responsiveness to therapy.

Specific aims:

1. To test the hypothesis that expression of Th1-like cytokine genes is associated with non-response to pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy.
2. To identify other host genes that are associated with responsiveness to pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy.