Food (ddp). Success in the fight against hepatitis C: researchers of the University Hospital Essen have found why many patients not on the usual treatment respond. With them, a gene is enabled more, which is usually against viruses, is manipulated by the hepatitis C virus but, and contributes to its distribution as a result even more. Inhibitory drugs could suppress the gene with the name ISG15 and increase the success of the usual treatment with the agents, interferon-alpha and Ribavirin. A comprehensive study to now clarify whether there are other tags that such can influence the success of the treatment, the University Medical Center reported.

Hepatitis C is a viral disease, which is initially often almost without symptoms, but is chronic in 80 percent of cases. Without treatment, it leads to life-threatening liver zirrhosen. By a several-month combination therapy with interferon alpha and Ribavirin can in principle eliminates viruses and cured the patients. However, treatment in up to 50 percent of all cases depending on missed their impact – of the type of virus, but also the genetic conditions of patients, as it turned now.

The gastroenterologist and Hepatologist Jörg Friedrich Schlaak and his team encountered during their investigations the so-called interferon stimulated gene 15 (ISG15). It is induced by the interferons in the liver and to actually help the body in the fight against viruses. Paradoxically it accelerates the spread of hepatitis C virus but even as it promotes their replication. How much ISG15 is enabled, is genetic, which is why a genetic test already could give information about the success of the treatment the treatment before.

Patients with too much ISG15 could in the future in addition to normal therapy specific inhibitors get, such as the so-called siRNAs: «A reduction of ISG15 to normal levels sufficient might to those people, where a combination therapy was ineffective so far to help with these standard drugs», Schlaak hopes. He is together with his colleagues now on the lookout for further key factors: «Our aim is to bring concerted therapies on the way in a few years on the individual patient.» «So that we not even have to burden people with this chronic disease, responding not to a specific therapy, with the side effects of treatment», says Schlaak.