Impaired STAT4 phosphorylation is associated with non-response to PEG-IFN plus Ribavirin treatment in chronic HCV Hepatitis patients

Background: The standard therapy for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is combination of PEG- IFN and ribavirin that results sustained viral clearance in only half of HCV1 genotype patients. It is known that PEG-IFN induces upregulation of IFN-stimulated genes (ISG) transcription by activating the Jak-STAT pathway and promotes Th1 type cytokine production. While activated STAT4 regulates Th1 cell development, STAT6 is important in the activation of IL-4 and Th2 cytokine induction. Increased Th2 type cytokine production was associated with non-response to PEG-IFN. To investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms of non…