Association Between Interleukin-4 Promoter and Receptor Polymorphisms and T-cell Count in Iranian HIV Positive Population

Abstract

Background: Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in the IL-4 promoter and receptor genes have been proposed to alter the individual's susceptibility to HIV infection and the rate of progression to AIDS. IL-4 -589 C/T and IL-4Rα I50V polymorphisms have been studied in different populations and were linked to differences in disease progression. No study has assessed the frequency of these polymorphisms in Iranian population.<br />Methods: In a cross-sectional study, after obtaining written informed consent, blood samples were collected from 120 HIV-seropositive individuals (91 males, 12 females) visiting a tertiary referral HIV center. All patients were primarily screened with the fourth-generation ELISA HIV test for the HIV-1 markers and subsequently with polymerase chain reaction (PCR). CD4+ cell count of the patients was recorded by using fresh EDTA-whole blood samples. The genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) using the standard extraction kit. Then, PCR-RFLP technique was used to analyze IL-4 -589 C/T, and IL-4Rα I50V SNPs.<br />Results: A frequency of 0.08 was found for IL-4 -589 T allele and 0.055 for IL-4Rα V allele. There was no significant difference between these polymorphisms regarding CD4 cell counts (p = 0.44 and p = 0.08 for IL-4 -589 and IL-4RαI50V, respectively). <br />Conclusion: This is the first study to assess the frequency of IL-4 promoter and receptor polymorphisms in the Iranian HIV-seropositive population. No significant association was found between IL-4 promoter and receptor polymorphisms and CD4 cell counts.