Abstract
Patients demonstrate notable variations in disease progression following human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We aimed to identify ZNRD1 and RNF39 genetic variants linked to AIDS progression. We conducted a genetic association study in HIV-1-infected Han Chinese patients residing in Taiwan. The clinical characteristics of 143 HIV-1-infected patients were measured, and patients were split into 2 groups: AIDS progression and AIDS non-progression. Genotyping of ZNRD1 and RNF39 was performed in all participants. We found that patients in the AIDS progression group had higher HIV-1 viral loads and lower CD4 cell counts than did patients in the AIDS non-progression group. The frequency of the AA genotype of ZNRD1 (rs16896970) was lower in the AIDS progression group than in the AIDS non-progression group. Patients with AA genotypes had lower levels of HIV-1 viral loads and higher levels of CD4 cell counts than did patients with AG+GG genotypes. AIDS progression in patients with the AA group is significantly different from that in patients with the AG and GG groups by using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. The hazard ratio for progression was lower in the AA group than in the AG and GG groups. We identified a SNP that contributes to AIDS progression in HIV-1-infected patients in this population. This SNP had a significant protective influence on AIDS progression, and polymorphisms of the ZNRD1 gene may play a role in the pathogenesis of HIV-1 infection.
Highlights
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS remains one of the most significant and challenging infectious diseases worldwide despite the introduction of antiretroviral therapy [1]
To identify genetic variants linked to AIDS progression, we genotyped the ZNRD1 and RNF39 genes in 143 HIV-1-infected patients (90 individuals with AIDS progression and 53 individuals without AIDS progression) (Tables 1 and 2)
Significant differences in mean plasma HIV-1 viral loads and CD4 cell counts were found between the 2 groups (p,0.0001) (Table 1)
Summary
HIV/AIDS remains one of the most significant and challenging infectious diseases worldwide despite the introduction of antiretroviral therapy [1]. According to the UNAIDS report, there were approximately 34.0 million people living with HIV at the end of 2011. Patients show variable clinical outcomes in response to HIV infection. AIDS usually develops within 10 years of infection in those who do not receive any therapy. Among these patients, diverse disease progression rates are observed [2,3,4]. Regular, or slow disease progression, whereas others are completely asymptomatic for more than 15 years. This diversity of clinical outcomes is believed to result from complex interactions among the virus, host, and environment factors
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
