DC-SIGN and DC-SIGNR polymorphic variants in Northern Asian Indians

Abstract

Dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-grabbing nonintegrin-related protein (DC-SIGNR), along with DC-SIGN, is suggested to facilitate HIV infection of T cells in trans through binding with HIV gp120. We studied the repeat region polymorphisms in DC-SIGN and DC-SIGNR in 100 healthy HIV-1 seronegative individuals among Northern Asian Indians. Each variant polymorphism obtained by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was confirmed by cloning and sequencing. Fifty-four per cent of the healthy seronegative individuals were homozygous for the DC-SIGNR 7/7 repeat. The heterozygous 7/5 variant was found in 25%, while the 5/5 homozygous genotype was found in 17% of the subjects. Allele 8 was rare and accounted for 4% of the heterozygous genotype (8/7) in the sample population. DC-SIGN polymorphism was rare, and the genotype 7/7 was most frequent in this study population. Further studies are warranted in a large sample size including high-risk and seropositive HIV patients to confirm the association of DC-SIGNR polymorphisms with HIV-1 susceptibility.