Prospective characterization of full-length hepatitis C virus NS5A quasispecies during induction and combination antiviral therapy.

ABSTRACT: The hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural 5A (NS5A) protein has been controversially implicated in the inherent resistance of HCV to interferon (IFN) antiviral therapy in clinical studies. In this study, the relationship between NS5A mutations and selection pressures before and during antiviral therapy and virologic response to therapy were investigated. Full-length NS5A clones were sequenced from 20 HCV genotype 1-infected patients in a prospective, randomized clinical trial of IFN induction (daily) therapy and IFN plus ribavirin combination therapy. Pretreatment NS5A nucleotide and amino acid phylogenies did not correlate with clinical IFN responses and domains involved in NS5A functions in vitro were all well conserved before and during treatment. A consensus IFN sensitivity-determining

SUBMITTER: Nousbaum J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC102099 | biostudies-literature | 2000 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature