title: Influence of HLA-G polymorphisms in human immunodeficiency virus infection and hepatitis C virus co-infection in Brazilian and Italian individuals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to investigate the role of Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA)-G in the susceptibility to HIV-1 infection through the analysis of the HLA-G 3' untranslated region (UTR) polymorphisms 14 bp insertion/deletion (rs66554220) and +3142C>G (rs1063320).
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed 582 HIV-1 infected patients and 626 uninfected individuals from Brazil and Italy in a case-control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  HLA-G polymorphisms were genotyped using PCR, PCR-RFLP assays or direct sequencing. All analyses were stratified by ethnicity. Genotypic, allelic and diplotypic frequencies were compared between HIV-1 infected subjects and controls using Chi-square or Fischer exact tests. Also, haplotypic frequencies were estimated using MLocus software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  African-derived HIV-infected individuals presented a higher frequency of the 14 bp insertion allele as compared to non-infected individuals (0.468 versus 0.373, respectively; p(Bonf) = 0.010). A higher frequency of the 14 bp insertion +3142G (insG) haplotype (0.456 versus 0.346, p<0.001) and the insG/insG diplotype (OR=1.88, 95%CI = 1.08-3.23, p=0.021) was observed among African-derived patients as compared to uninfected controls. Also, we observed a higher frequency of the ins/ins genotype among African-derived HIV patients co-infected with HCV (OR=2.78, 95%CI = 1.20-6.49, p = 0.008).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data point out to an increased frequency of alleles and genotypes associated with low HLA-G expression among African-derived patients, suggesting a potential role for HLA-G in the susceptibility to HIV-1 infection and HCV co-infection in those individuals.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Priscila
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vianna
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tiago Degani
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Veit
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Crovella
authors.affiliation: Immunogenetics Laboratory, University of Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Eulalia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Catamo
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elvira Alicia Aparicio
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Cordero
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vanessa Suñé
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Mattevi
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rosmeri Kuhmmer
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Lazzaretti
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sprinz
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kuhmmer
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Electronic address: jabchies@terra.com.br.
authors.forename: José Artur Bogo
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Chies
mesh_terms: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044383:Black People / Q000235:genetics; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D060085:Coinfection; D005787:Gene Frequency; D014644:Genetic Variation; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D059951:HLA-G Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006239:Haplotypes; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D059951:HLA-G Antigens
keywords: Ethnicity; HCV; HIV; HLA-G; Polymorphism