The relative expression levels of miR-21, miR-33a, miR-96, miR-122, miR-125b, miR-221 and miR-224 were determined in 76 RNA samples isolated from 18 non-steatotic and 28 steatotic chronic hepatitis C (CHC and CHC-Steatosis, respectively) cases, 18 non-infected, steatotic liver biopsies of metabolic origin (Steatosis) and 12 normal formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded liver tissues using TaqMan MicroRNA Assays.
A combination of pegylated interferon-alpha and ribavirin (PR) is the standard therapy for patients with chronic hepatitis C. The impact of polymorphism of interleukin-28B (IL28B) on sustained virological response (SVR) to PR has been well documented in patients with CHC genotype-1 (GT1), but it is controversial in genotype-2 (GT2) CHC patients.