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Genetic analysis of CR1 (the C3b complement receptor, CD35) expression on erythrocytes of HIV-infected individuals

J H Cohen1, C Geffriaud, V Caudwell

  • 1Laboratoire d'Immunologie, Hôpital R. Debré, Reims, Paris, France.

The number of C3b receptor (CR1) molecules on erythrocytes is genetically determined by two codominant autosomal alleles. The genetic polymorphism of CR1 expression correlates with a Hind III restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of the CR1 gene. The relative frequency of individuals homozygous for the allele coding for low CR1 numbers is approximately 5% of the normal population. CR1 numbers/erythrocytes are significantly decreased in symptomatic HIV-infected individuals. Decreased CR1 expression correlates with the severity of disease. The present study investigated the CR1 genomic Hind III RFLP-related polymorphism in 79 HIV-infected individuals and 84 healthy subjects. Allele frequencies were found to be similar in both populations. Thus, there is no susceptibility nor resistance to HIV-infected linked to the CR1 gene. Defective expression of CR1 in HIV-infected patients is acquired through central and/or peripheral mechanisms.

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