title: Associations of human leukocyte antigen-G with resistance and susceptibility to HIV-1 infection in the Pumwani sex worker cohort.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the association between human leukocyte antigens (HLA)-G genotypes and resistance or susceptibility to HIV-1.
  
  
  METHODS
  A group of sex workers in Pumwani, Kenya can be epidemiologically defined as resistant to HIV-1 infection despite frequent exposure and provide an example of natural protective immunity. HLA class I and II molecules have been shown to be associated with resistance/susceptibility to infection in this cohort. HLA-G is a nonclassical class I allele that is primarily involved in mucosal and inflammatory response, which is of interest in HIV-1 resistance.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, we used a sequence-based typing method to genotype HLA-G for 667 women enrolled in this cohort and examined the influence of HLA-G genotypes on resistance or susceptibility to HIV-1 infection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The G*01 : 01:01 genotype was significantly enriched in the HIV-1-resistant women [P = 0.002, Odds ratio: 2.11, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.259-0.976], whereas the G*01 : 04:04 genotype was significantly associated with susceptibility to HIV-1 infection (P = 0.039, OR:0.502, 95% CI:0.259-0.976). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis correlated with these results. G*01 : 01:01 genotype was associated with significantly lower rate of seroconversion (P = 0.001). Whereas, G*01 : 04:04 genotype was significantly associated with an increased rate of seroconversion (P = 0.013). The associations of these HLA-G alleles are independent of other HLA class I and II alleles identified in this population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study showed that specific HLA-G alleles are associated with resistance or susceptibility to HIV-1 acquisition in this high-risk population. Further studies are needed to understand its functional significance in HIV-1 transmission.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: William J R
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Turk
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kimani
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bielawny
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wachihi
authors.forename: Terry Blake
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.forename: Francis A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Plummer
authors.forename: Ma
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D060467:Disease Resistance / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology; D059951:HLA-G Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal / Q000276:immunology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011446:Prospective Studies; D060386:Sex Workers
chemical_list: D059951:HLA-G Antigens