title: Human leukocyte antigen class I genotypes in relation to heterosexual HIV type 1 transmission within discordant couples.
abstract: Differences in immune control of HIV-1 infection are often attributable to the highly variable HLA class I molecules that present viral epitopes to CTL. In our immunogenetic analyses of 429 HIV-1 discordant Zambian couples (infected index partners paired with cohabiting seronegative partners), several HLA class I variants in index partners were associated with contrasting rates and incidence of HIV-1 transmission within a 12-year study period. In particular, A*3601 on the A*36-Cw*04-B*53 haplotype was the most unfavorable marker of HIV-1 transmission by index partners, while Cw*1801 (primarily on the A*30-Cw*18-B*57 haplotype) was the most favorable, irrespective of the direction of transmission (male to female or female to male) and other commonly recognized cofactors of infection, including age and GUI. The same HLA markers were further associated with contrasting viral load levels in index partners, but they had no clear impact on HIV-1 acquisition by the seronegative partners. Thus, HLA class I gene products not only mediate HIV-1 pathogenesis and evolution but also influence heterosexual HIV-1 transmission.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA. jtang@uab.edu
authors.forename: Jianming
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Wenshuo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Yun Joo
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Ilene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Brill
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mulenga
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kaslow
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005838:Genotype; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D018023:HIV Seronegativity / Q000235:genetics; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D020010:Heterosexuality; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012747:Sexual Partners; D019562:Viral Load; D015024:Zambia
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I