title: Human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-DQB1*03:02 and HLA-A*02:01 have opposite patterns in their effects on susceptibility to HIV infection.
abstract: The objective of this study was to seek correlates of immune protection in HIV infection. We sought to elucidate the association between the presence of human leucocyte antigen (HLA) alleles, as well as killer immunoglobulin receptor (KIR) genotypes, and the susceptibility to HIV infection in a Spanish cohort of HIV-exposed seronegative (HESN) individuals.
  
  
  
  A total of 152 individuals were evaluated: 29 HESN individuals in stable heterosexual relationships with an HIV-infected partner admitting high-risk sexual intercourse for at least 12 months prior to inclusion in the study, 61 HIV-infected patients and 62 healthy controls. HLA class I and II alleles and KIR genotypes were assessed in genomic DNA from all individuals in the study by polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific oligonucleotide (PCR-SSO) using bead array technology.
  
  
  
  HESN individuals showed a higher prevalence of HLA-A3 (62%) and HLA-B44 (83%) supertypes compared with HIV-infected individuals (42% and 66%, respectively). Regarding specific HLA alleles, HESN individuals had a higher prevalence of HLA-A*33:01, DRB1*04 and DQB1*03:02 alleles (14%, 34% and 31%, respectively) and a lower prevalence of the HLA-A*02:01 allele (27%) than HIV-infected patients (3%, 15%, 11% and 52%, respectively; P < 0.05). Interestingly, in a multivariate analysis, only the presence of DQB1*03:02 and the absence of A*02:01 alleles were independently associated with HESN status [odds ratio (OR) 3.4 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-10.5) and 0.4 (95% CI: 0.1-0.9), respectively; P < 0.05]. No KIR genotype was associated with susceptibility to HIV infection.
  
  
  
  Our data showed that the presence of the HLA class II allele DQB1*03:02 was a correlate of immune protection against HIV infection, while the presence of the HLA class I allele A*02:01 was associated with being infected with HIV.
authors.affiliation: Jiménez Díaz Foundation-Health Research Institute, UAM, Madrid, Spain.|Rey Juan Carlos University Hospital, Móstoles, Spain.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rallón
authors.affiliation: Jiménez Díaz Foundation-Health Research Institute, UAM, Madrid, Spain.|Rey Juan Carlos University Hospital, Móstoles, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Restrepo
authors.affiliation: Histocompatibility Lab., Community Transfusion Center of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Vicario
authors.affiliation: Madrid Sanitary Center Sandoval, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Del Romero
authors.affiliation: Madrid Sanitary Center Sandoval, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Carlos III-La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain.|CIBERehd, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: García-Samaniego
authors.affiliation: Jiménez Díaz Foundation-Health Research Institute, UAM, Madrid, Spain.|Rey Juan Carlos University Hospital, Móstoles, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García
authors.affiliation: Jiménez Díaz Foundation University Hospital, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cabello
authors.affiliation: Jiménez Díaz Foundation University Hospital, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Górgolas
authors.affiliation: Jiménez Díaz Foundation-Health Research Institute, UAM, Madrid, Spain.|Rey Juan Carlos University Hospital, Móstoles, Spain.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Benito
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D060005:Genotyping Techniques; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D015234:HLA-A Antigens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054340:Receptors, KIR / Q000235:genetics; D013030:Spain
chemical_list: D015234:HLA-A Antigens; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; C069051:HLA-DQB1 antigen; D054340:Receptors, KIR
keywords: HIV-exposed seronegative individuals; correlates of immune protection; human leucocyte antigen/killer immunoglobulin receptor; susceptibility to HIV infection