A genome-wide association study of resistance to HIV infection in highly exposed uninfected individuals with hemophilia A

Hum Mol Genet. 2013 May 1;22(9):1903-10. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddt033. Epub 2013 Jan 30.

Abstract

Human genetic variation contributes to differences in susceptibility to HIV-1 infection. To search for novel host resistance factors, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in hemophilia patients highly exposed to potentially contaminated factor VIII infusions. Individuals with hemophilia A and a documented history of factor VIII infusions before the introduction of viral inactivation procedures (1979-1984) were recruited from 36 hemophilia treatment centers (HTCs), and their genome-wide genetic variants were compared with those from matched HIV-infected individuals. Homozygous carriers of known CCR5 resistance mutations were excluded. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and inferred copy number variants (CNVs) were tested using logistic regression. In addition, we performed a pathway enrichment analysis, a heritability analysis, and a search for epistatic interactions with CCR5 Δ32 heterozygosity. A total of 560 HIV-uninfected cases were recruited: 36 (6.4%) were homozygous for CCR5 Δ32 or m303. After quality control and SNP imputation, we tested 1 081 435 SNPs and 3686 CNVs for association with HIV-1 serostatus in 431 cases and 765 HIV-infected controls. No SNP or CNV reached genome-wide significance. The additional analyses did not reveal any strong genetic effect. Highly exposed, yet uninfected hemophiliacs form an ideal study group to investigate host resistance factors. Using a genome-wide approach, we did not detect any significant associations between SNPs and HIV-1 susceptibility, indicating that common genetic variants of major effect are unlikely to explain the observed resistance phenotype in this population.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • DNA Copy Number Variations
  • Disease Resistance / genetics*
  • Epistasis, Genetic
  • Factor VIII / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Gene Deletion
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Genome-Wide Association Study*
  • HIV Infections / genetics*
  • HIV Seropositivity / genetics
  • Hemophilia A / genetics*
  • Heterozygote
  • Homozygote
  • Humans
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Meta-Analysis as Topic
  • Middle Aged
  • Phenotype
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
  • Prospective Studies
  • Receptors, CCR5 / genetics
  • Receptors, CCR5 / metabolism

Substances

  • Receptors, CCR5
  • Factor VIII