Distribution of CCR5-Delta32, CCR2-64I, and SDF1-3'A host genetic factors in HIV-infected and uninfected individuals in Luanda, Angola.

Background: The HIV/AIDS pandemic remains a public health concern. Studies on host genetic polymorphisms that confer resistance to HIV-1 infection or delay HIV disease progression are scarce in African countries. Herein, we investigate the proportion of the mutated phenotype of the AIDS-related polymorphisms CCR5-Delta32, CCR2-64I, and SDF1-3'A in HIV-infected and uninfected individuals in Luanda, the capital of Angola, a sub-Saharan African country.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted with 284 individuals, of whom 159 were HIV-negative and 125 were HIV-positive. The CCR5-Delta32, CCR2-64I, and SDF1-3'A genotypes were detected by conventional PCR and visualised on 2% agarose gel. A Chi-square test determined the frequency of each genetic variant and was deemed significant when p < 0.05.

Results: The frequency of CCR5-Delta32, CCR2-64I, and SDF1-3 A was 0% (0/272), 60.2% (154/256), and 42.5% (114/268), respectively. CCR2-64I and SDF1-3 A polymorphisms were statistically related to HIV infection (p < 0.001). Statistically significant was observed between ABO blood groups (p = 0.006) and HIV-1 subtype (p = 0.015) with CCR2-64I. Also, the age group (p = 0.024) and RH blood group (p = 0.018) were statistically related to the distribution of SDF1-3 A polymorphism.

Conclusions: We found no CCR5-Delta32 allele, while CCR2-64I and SDF1-3'A were found and presented a relationship with HIV infection, age, ABO/RH blood group, and HIV-1 subtypes. The observed associations of CCR2-64I and SDF1-3'A with HIV underscore the urgent need for further multidisciplinary research, with potential implications for targeted prevention and public health strategies. Therefore, studies investigating biological and non-biological factors related to susceptibility to HIV infection and AIDS progression or death should be conducted in Angola.