Genes associated with innate immune control in a South African Peadiatric HIV

This study investigated the presence of gene mutations implicated in innate immune control within a non-progressor paediatric cohort of HIV positive children, and their associated family members. The ICAM2 and TLR4 genes were reported to be potentially responsible for the innate immune control of Simian Immune Virus (SIV) infected Sooty Mangebey (C.atys). The SIV infected C.atys phenotype is similar to the human HIV infected non-progressor phenotype and it was thought to have a similar genetic mechanism for innate immune control of HIV infection. Therefore, whole human genome sequencing was performed on the HIV infected non-progressor paediatric cohort and their associated family members, who either progressed to AIDS or were HIV positive adult non-progressors. The host genomes of n=31 families were sequenced at 30X and assessed for the presence of known mutations shown in the innate immune system genes. Whole Genomic sequencing analysis showed no significant variants found within the ICAM2 and TLR4 genes, that could be associated with the HIV non-progressor genotype. An expression analysis was performed to determine the mRNA expression level of these genes within the non-progressor vs progressor phenotypic profile of this paediatric cohort and family members. There was no significant pattern of differential expression between the HIV progressor and HIV non-progressor phenotype. Therefore, the inference that genomic variation within ICAM2 and TLR4 host genes of SIV infected Sooty Manageby is not responsible for HIV infected humans with innate immune control.