AIM: Mechanisms responsible for persistence of HCV infection and liver damage in chronic hepatitis C are not clear. Apoptosis is an important form of host immune response against viral infections. Anti-apoptotic proteinbcl-2 expression on liver tissue as well as the influence of interferon alpha 2b (IFNα2b) and ribavirin (RBV) were analyzed in patients with chronic hepatitis C. METHODS: In 30 patients with chronic hepatitis C (responders - R and non-responders - NR) treated with IFNα2b+RBV, protein bcl-2 was determined in hepatocytes and in liver associated lymphocytes before and after the treatment.RESULTS: The treatment diminished bcl-2 protein accumulation in liver cells in_patients with hepatitis C (P＜0.05). Before and after the therapy, we detected bcl-2 protein in R in 87±15% and 83±20% of hepatocytes andin 28± 18% and 26±10% of liver-associated lymphocytes, respectively. In NR, the values before treatment decreased from 94±32% to 88±21% of hepatocytes and 39±29% to 28±12% of lymphocytes with bcl-2 expression. There was no statistical correlation between bcl-2 expression on liver tissue with inflammatory activity, fibrosis and biochemical parameters before and after the treatment.CONCLUSION: IFNα2b+RBV treatment, by bcl-2 protein expression decrease, enables apoptosis of hepatocytes and associated liver lymphocytes, which in turn eliminate hepatitis C viruses.