The present study included the 211 of the initial 250 genotype 1�C3 patients in the DITTO study where selleck chemical Vandetanib previously unthawed plasma samples were available. Baseline plasma samples for 153 genotype 1 (Table 1) and 58 genotype 2/3 (Table 2) patients were analyzed for sCD26 concentrations, and all of them had previously been analyzed for both IL28B genetic variants [13], [16] and baseline plasma IP-10 [14], [15]. Twenty-eight human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A2 and HLA-A3 positive (Table 1 and and2)2) patients chosen based on the availability of sufficient numbers of viable peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were studied for HCV-specific HLA class I responses before treatment initiation, as previously described [28]. The plasma samples were stored in aliquots at ?80��C and the PBMCs were stored in liquid nitrogen until assayed.

Table 1 Baseline and on-treatment characteristics of the genotype 1 patients in the complete DITTO study, the genotype 1 patients available for the present study, and the genotype 1 patients available for the T cell study. Table 2 Baseline and on-treatment characteristics of the genotype 2/3 patients in the complete DITTO study, the genotype 2/3 patients available for the present study, and the genotype 2/3 patients available for the T cell study. The second study (the TTG1 trial) was conducted between 2008 and 2010 in 106 Swedish patients chronically infected with genotype 1. For the present study, previously unthawed samples from 36 patients treated at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden were retrieved for analysis.

The plasma samples were stored in aliquots at ?80��C until assayed. Treatment All patients in the DITTO-HCV trial were initially treated for six weeks with 180 ��g pegIFN-��2a administrated by subcutaneous injections once weekly (Pegasys, F. Hoffmann-LaRoche, Basel, Switzerland) and ribavirin orally twice daily (Copegus, F. Hoffmann-LaRoche) at a total daily dose of 1,000 mg for patients weighing less than 75 kg and 1,200 mg daily for above 75 kg. After six weeks of therapy, 50% of the patients were randomized based on their viral kinetic classification to receive individualized therapy or to continue on standard combination therapy for a total of 48 weeks. There were, however, no major differences in treatment outcome for patients receiving individualized or standard therapy [29]. Patients GSK-3 were classified as having SVR if HCV RNA was undetectable in plasma 24 weeks after the completion of therapy and classified as having a rapid virological response (RVR) if HCV RNA was undetectable in plasma week 4 after treatment initiation.