Alteration in the humoral immune response has been observed during HIV infection. The polymorphisms of enhancer HS1,2,\nmember of the 3???? regulatory region of the Ig heavy chain cluster, may play a role in the variation of the humoral response leading\nto pathological conditions. To assess the role of the HS1,2 polymorphic variants in the progression of AIDS, the HS1,2-A allelic\nfrequencies were investigated in a cohort of HIV infected pediatric subjects froma nosocomial outbreak with amonophyletic strain\nof HIV. From a total group of 418 HIV infected children in the outbreak cohort, 42 nonprogressors and 31 progressors without bias\ndue to antiretroviral therapy were evaluated. HS1,2 allele ?1 has been associated with nonprogressors (allelic frequency: 51.19%\nversus 33.87% in progressors, OR 0.5, and P = 0.0437), while allele ?2 has been associated with progression (allelic frequency:\n48.39% versus 30.95% in nonprogressors, OR 2.1, and P = 0.0393). Further, only subjects carrying allele ?2 in absence of allele ?1,\neither in homozygous condition for allele ?2 [nonprogressors 2/42 (4.76%), Progressors 7/31 (22.58%),OR 5.8, and P = 0.0315] or in\ncombination with other allelic variants [nonprogressors 7/42 (16.67%), Progressors 13/31 (41.93%), OR 3.61, and P = 0.0321], have\nbeen associated with HIV progression to AIDS. In conclusion, while the HS1,2 allele ?1 has a protective effect on HIV progression\nwhen present, allele ?2 is associated with progression toward AIDS when allele ?1 is absent.
Loading....