IL-18 Gene Promoter Region 607C/A Polymorphism in HIV-1 Infected North Indian Population

Area of Science:

• Immunogenetics
• Virology
• Molecular Epidemiology

Background:

• Host genetic factors significantly influence susceptibility and progression of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).
• Interleukin-18 (IL-18), a proinflammatory cytokine, enhances HIV-1 replication and plays a pathogenic role in infection.
• Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the IL-18 gene promoter can alter transcriptional activity and cytokine production, potentially affecting HIV-1 risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between the IL-18 gene promoter polymorphism -607C>A and HIV-1 infection risk.
• To determine if specific genotypes of this polymorphism influence susceptibility or progression to HIV-1/AIDS in a North Indian population.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study was conducted with 500 HIV-1/AIDS patients and 500 matched controls from North India.
• Genotyping of the IL-18 -607C>A promoter polymorphism was performed using sequence-specific primer-polymerase chain reaction (SSP-PCR).

Main Results:

• The AA genotype of the IL-18 -607C>A polymorphism showed a statistically significant reduced risk of HIV-1 infection (OR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.33-0.98, p = 0.040).
• No significant association was found for the CA genotype (OR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.66-1.14, p = 0.321).

Conclusions:

• The -607A allele of the IL-18 gene promoter polymorphism may confer a protective effect against HIV-1 infection in the studied North Indian population.
• This genetic variation in IL-18 could be a factor in modulating HIV-1 susceptibility and disease progression.