15th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections Boston, Massachusetts - February 3-6, 2008

Conf Retrovir Opportunistic Infect 2008 Feb 3-6;15: (abstract no. 9)

David Goldstein
Duke Univ, Durham, NC, US

BACKGROUND: Genetic variation is arguably more important in the determinants of response to infectious diseases than any other complex human trait. For every known infectious agents there is important variation in the human population, often including complete immunity for some subset of the population. HIV is no exception to this pattern. The hope is that by understanding the genetic determinants of response to HIV we will be able to guide the new development of new therapies.

METHODS: As part of the host genetics program in the NIH-funded Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Immunology (CHAVI) we are carrying out a series genome-wide association studies aimed at identifying new mechanisms of how individuals control HIV.

RESULTS: Our first study focused on control of HIV as reflected in viral load levels during the set-point period and on progression in a population collected principally from Europe. This study implicated polymorphisms near the HLAC and ZNRD1 genes as playing important roles in viral load and progression, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: Here I report on the extension of these studies and on progress and plans for further studies focused on viral control in African Americans, the determinants of susceptibility to infection, and the genomic determinants of response to vaccination.

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2008-02-03
9

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