Keratin 8 and 18 variants are overrepresented in chronic hepatitis C and associate with adverse disease outcome

Backround and Aims: Keratins (K) 8/18 are the major intermediate filaments (IFs) of single layered/glandular epithelia. K8/18 are established hepatoprotective proteins and K8/K18 variants associate with liver fibrosis progression in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and primary biliary cirrhosis. To further characterize the role of K8/K18 in CHC, we analyzed US cohort of 1222 patients enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) trial for presence of K8/K18 variants. Methods: Genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood. Exonic regions carrying K8/K18 mutational ho…