With the help of the Centre for Human Immunology at Institut Pasteur, the investigators involved have performed a prospective study. They identified the protein IP-10 as a prognostic biomarker - elevated in those patients for whom treatment was ineffective. This observation was paradoxical as IP-10 is considered a pro-inflammatory molecule, which should have facilitated migration of activated T cells to the liver, the exact cell types responsible for viral immunity. In fact, what was discovered is that the IP-10 had been catabolized and it was a truncated form present in the HCV patients. Strikingly, the short form of IP-10 is an antagonist and inhibits T cell recruitment. Thus, it is suggested that the antagonist form of IP-10 is responsible for the failure to respond to treatment in the 50% of patients who do not benefit from pegylated-interferon / ribavirin treatment.

The investigators worked in close collaboration with an American company, Rules Based Medicine, Inc., who will develop a diagnostic test to distinguish the different forms of IP-10 as a simple blood test. This test will be a significant step towards the improved management of patients with HCV as well as other chronic inflammatory diseases.

Source: INSERM (Institut national de la sant et de la recherche mdicale)