Differential Proteomic Profiling of Responders and Non-responders to Direct-Acting Antivirals Treatment in Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Abstract

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), particularly genotype 3 (GT-3), is highly prevalent in India and is associated with faster progression to cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and higher treatment failure rates. Although Direct-Acting Antivirals (DAAs) have revolutionized HCV therapy, 5–10% of patients fail to achieve sustained virological response (SVR). This proteomic study aimed to identify changes in the proteomic profile before and after treatment of both responders and non-responders to HCV treatment. Paired plasma samples from HCV GT-3 infected patients were collected before and 12 weeks after initiating DAAs treatment, along with healthy controls. Quantitative proteomic analysis was performed on the paired samples. Differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified and subjected to functional analysis including gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analysis. GSEA revealed enrichment in extracellular matrix organization and innate immune pathways. Expression patterns of candidate proteins selected based on fold change and false discovery rate (FDR) criteria were further evaluated in an independent cohort. Western blot confirmed key expression trends of candidate proteins. Proteins linked to extracellular matrix remodeling and angiogenesis showed differential expression patterns. Successful validation of these candidate proteins in large independent cohorts holds potential to predict therapeutic outcomes.