title: A polymorphism in IL4 may associate with sensory neuropathy in African HIV patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Animal and in vitro models of HIV-associated sensory neuropathy suggest an inflammatory etiology. Previous genetic association studies of HIV-SN have been in small Caucasian or Asian cohorts. We assessed cytokine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a Black Southern African cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  342 black HIV-positive Southern Africans were recruited. 190 individuals had HIV-associated sensory neuropathy and 152 did not. DNA samples from all participants were genotyped for cytokine SNPs identified in studies of HIV disease and/or neuropathy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IL4-590*T associated with an increased prevalence of HIV-SN including following correction for age, height and CD4 T-cell count. No other cytokine SNPs assessed displayed an association.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We identified a novel association between IL4-590*T and HIV-SN in African HIV-positive patients which warrants further investigation.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Wadley
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Kamerman
authors.forename: C S N
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Chew
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lombard
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Cherry
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Price
mesh_terms: D044383:Black People / Q000235:genetics; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005787:Gene Frequency; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000235:genetics*; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D015995:Prevalence; D013019:South Africa
chemical_list: C508598:IL4 protein, human; D015847:Interleukin-4