Circulating Interferon-λ3, Responsiveness to HBV Vaccination, and HBV/HCV Infections in Haemodialysis Patients

The IFN-lambda 3 gene (IFNL3) plays a role in HCV clearance. We investigated circulating IFN-lambda 3 and IFNL3 SNPs in haemodialysis patients who differed in their response to HBV vaccination and their HBV/HCV infection status. In 201 patients, plasma IFN-lambda 3 was determined using ELISA. IFNL3 SNPs (rs12979860, rs8099917) were genotyped using HRM analysis. Differences in IFN-lambda 3 levels were shown between responders and nonresponders to HBV vaccination and between HBsAg-positive patients and those who developed anti-HBs after infection and became HBsAg negative. HBV vaccine responders without HCV resolution revealed lower IFN-lambda 3 than noninfected responders. HBsAg/HCV RNA-positive subjects showed lower IFN-lambda 3 than patients positive only for HCV RNA or subjects who resolved both infections. Circulating IFN-lambda 3 correlated positively with anti-HBs and negatively with positive HCV RNA testing in the adjusted regression analyses. HBV vaccine nonresponders, HBsAg-positive patients, and subjects with replicating HCV composed a group with unfavourable outcomes. Responders to HBV vaccination, subjects who became HBsAg negative, and those who cleared HCV were analysed as having favourable outcomes. The latter showed higher IFN-lambda 3 but did not differ in distribution of IFNL3 SNPs compared with subjects with unfavourable outcomes. Higher IFN-lambda 3 concentrations are associated with response to HBV vaccination, self-limited HBV infection, and HCV resolution.