title: Analysis of genetic heterogeneity in the HCAR adenovirus-binding Ig1 domain in a Caucasian Flemish population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polymorphisms in the gene that encodes the human cellular receptor for group B coxsackieviruses and adenoviruses (HCAR) could be responsible for differences in susceptibility to infections with these pathogens. Moreover, adenovirus subgroup C-mediated gene therapy could be influenced by mutations in the coding exons for the aminoterminal immunoglobulin-like 1 (Ig1) domain, which is the essential component for adenovirus fiber knob binding.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using two primersets in the adjacent intron sequences, HCAR exons 2 and 3, which comprise the full-length Ig1 domain, were amplified by polymerase chain reactions in 108 unselected and unrelated healthy Belgian volunteers. After nucleotide sequencing, no polymorphisms could be demonstrated in the adenovirus-binding Ig1 exons 2 and 3 of the HCAR gene.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The adenovirus-binding Ig1 domain seems to be a highly conserved region in the Caucasian population which is a reassuring finding regarding adenovector-based gene therapy.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical & Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Thoelen
authors.forename: Griet
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Duson
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wollants
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Ranst
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D001530:Belgium; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D062727:Coxsackie and Adenovirus Receptor-Like Membrane Protein; D005091:Exons; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000737:chemistry*; D007438:Introns; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics*; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C568771:CLMP protein, human; D062727:Coxsackie and Adenovirus Receptor-Like Membrane Protein; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D011991:Receptors, Virus