EXAMINING A WHOLE GENOME ASSOCIATIONS OF HOST CONTROL THAT ARE MAJOR DETERMINANTS AGAINST HIV DISEASE PROGRESSION

A recent study examining whole genome associations of host control found that the six most significant protective determinants against HIV disease progression were found in the MHC region of the genome. Several HLA alleles are associated with long-term non-progression and control of viremia. Furthermore, not only were certain HLA-types better than others, but individuals homozygous for HLA I alleles appear to progress more rapidly to AIDS compared to heterozygous individuals. This finding may relate to the ability of individuals with a heterozygous genotype to present a more diverse set of epitopes, resulting in a broader HIV-specific immune response, making it more difficult for the virus to effectively escape from host immune responses. These results suggest that HAART will reduce sexual transmission of HIV at a population level. However, as some HIV-infected individuals on therapy continue to shed infectious HIV RNA in their semen, the individual risk of transmitting HIV is unlikely to be zero.

Keywords: HAART, HLA, T cell immune response, genital mucosa