Scientific publications
Béatrice Dambaya
Nkenfou CN
Linda Mouafo Mekue
G. Teto
Marie Nicole Ngoufack
Georgia Ambada
Vittorio Colizzi
Neil E. Alexis
DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals)
Béatrice Dambaya,1,2 Céline Nguefeu Nkenfou,1,3 Linda Mekue,1,4 Georges Této,1 Nicole Ngoufack,1,2 Georgia Ambada,1,2 Njiokou Flobert,1 Vittorio Colizzi,5 Ndjolo Alexis1,6 1Chantal BIYA International Reference Centre for Research on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management (CBIRC), Yaoundé, Cameroon; 2Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaounde I, Yaoundé, Cameroon; 3Department of Biological Sciences, Higher Teachers’ Training College, University of Yaounde I, Yaoundé, Cameroon; 4Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon; 5Department of Immunology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; 6Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde I, Yaoundé, CameroonCorrespondence: Céline Nguefeu NkenfouHigher Teacher Training College, University of Yaounde I, P.O. BOX 47, Yaounde, CameroonTel +675573519Email nkenfou@yahoo.comBackground: Children show various degrees of vulnerability regarding HIV infection and disease progression. This disparity presents challenges for the follow-up of infected children. Here we investigated reasons behind this variability focusing on some host-related HIV genes.Methods: We screened 570 Cameroonian children and adolescents, aged 1 to 19 years old. Among them, 137 were followed over 4 years, from 2010 to 2015. Upon signing a proxy consent, children and adolescents were classified according to their age, CD4 count, viral load and clinical symptoms as long-term non-progressors (LTNP), slow progressors (SP) and rapid progressors (RP). Their blood was collected every 6 months and used for biological and host genetic polymorphism analyses. Five genes were genotyped: Trim5α (R136Q), CCR5 promoter 59029G, CCR2-64I, SDF 3ʹA and CCR5-Δ32. Exposed non-infected (HEU) and unexposed HIV negative children (HNEU) were recruited as control groups.Results: Among the 5 genes studied, the protective allele of Trim5α (R136Q) was present in all LTNP and in 72.34% and 2.56% of SP and RP, respectively (p<0.0001). The CCR5 promoter 59029G/G was also more present in LTNP and SP than in RP (p=0.02; p=0.04). The protective CCR2-64I homozygous genotype was almost absent in all groups, only the heterozygous genotype was present with a significant difference between RP vs SP (p=0.0001), and SP vs LTNP (p=0.0002). The CCR2-∆32 was completely absent either as homozygous or heterozygous genotype. It was a monomorphic allele. SDF 3ʹA was almost present as homozygous wild-type genotype in our study population and was associated neither to disease acquisition nor to disease progression.Conclusion: Among the 5 genes described in the study, Trim 5α (R136Q), CCR5 promoter 59029G and CCR2V64I alleles were associated to the progression of HIV infection in children and adolescents.Keywords: aids related genes, infected children, disease progression
